The Research Group Speaks
Episode 1

Interview with Barbara Williams Ellertson
The BASIRA Project and a Timeline

Florence, Galleria degli Uffizi, Anonymous, Still Life of an Illuminated Book, German School, 15th century. Oil on Wood. Opened book with fanned pages. Image via Wikimedia, Public Domain.

This Series began with an Interview with our Associate, Barbara Williams Ellertson.  (See also Ellertson.)

The recorded event took place via Zoom in July 2021, with a small invited audience, and with scope for questions, comments, and discussion. Barbara spoke about the BASIRA Project, its background, and her other interests.  For information about the Project on Books as Symbols in Renaissance Art, its subjects, its scope, and its aims, see https://basiraproject.org.

Barbara described key stages in her education, upbringing, and career, as she offered an illustrated Timeline for the origins and development of the project. A selection of images exhibit aspects of her work, the processes of creating the BASIRA Project, some key stages in its evolution, and some of her favorites among the subjects which it covers.

Questions and discussion addressed a wide range of interests in the subject matter, the approaches to its structures in the database and metadata, the expanding coverage of the project, and its future work.

The recording of the event is being edited for presentation and wider viewing as a podcast. It will take two parts: Interview and Question & Answer.

We thank Barbara for her generous preparation and presentation.  We thank the participants for joining the online gathering, and offering feedback and encouragement.

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More Episodes are in hand and in preparation.  See The Research Group Speaks:  The Series.

Do you have suggestions for subjects?  Please let us know.  Please leave your Comments below, Contact Us, and visit our FaceBook Page.  We look forward to hearing from you.

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