Our workshop 'Uncovering the Animal: Skin, Fur, Feathers 1450-1700' held on 29 June 2018 at King's College London was attended by a range of scholars from a variety of disciplines. Papers covered subjects from pangolins and nautilus shells to feathers (as used in the East and West), shagreen, and fur. Those in attendance contributed to valuable discussions about the range of meanings of animal skin, reflecting on issues such as colour, texture, and ornamentation of the body and material objects.
One participant came from the ERC-funded research project, 'Refashioning the Renaissance: Popular Groups and the Material and Cultural Significance of Clothing in Europe 1550-1650'. Postdoctoral researcher Dr Michele Robinson has written a piece for their website on our half-day event. Read her take on the day here.