Ryna Sharp
Completed my doctoral thesis in 2022 at Monash University supported by the RTP Scholarship and under the supervision of Professor David Garrioch. My doctoral thesis focuses on the role of artistic exchange, amateur art production and it's role in the construction of gender, memory and family in the lives of aristocratic and middle class women in Britain c. 1750-1830, and in 19th century Australia. I am particularly interested in the amateur art and collecting networks within families and friendship circles.
I have previously also graduated from Monash University with Masters (Research) in Archaeology, and have also completed a Master of Museum Studies at Deakin University.
Supervisors: Professor David Garrioch
I have previously also graduated from Monash University with Masters (Research) in Archaeology, and have also completed a Master of Museum Studies at Deakin University.
Supervisors: Professor David Garrioch
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Books by Ryna Sharp
It recovers their lives and examines their interests, their methodologies, and their collections and objects—some of which have rarely been studied before. The book also considers women’s role as producers, that is, creators of objects that were collected. Detailed examination of the artefacts—both visually, and in relation to their historical contexts—exposes new ways of thinking about collecting in relation to the arts and sciences in eighteenth-century Europe. The book is interdisciplinary in its makeup and brings together scholars from a wide range of fields.
It will be of interest to those working in art history, material and visual culture, history of collecting, history of science, literary studies, women’s studies, gender studies, and art conservation.
The aim of this study is to examine these anthropomorphic objects in terms of their original context in order to determine what role they played in Predynastic burials – a useful method, as most of these objects are found in graves. A database comprising all provenanced anthropomorphic Predynastic objects and their placement in the grave, in addition to the details of each grave, has been composed in order to conduct a detailed analysis. The analysis is geared to answer the question of whether it is possible to determine the function of these objects from the available data, and if so, what the results could tell us about burial practices and rituals in Predynastic Egypt.
It became clear from the results that the context, especially the specific placement of the object in the grave, can reflect significantly the meaning and function of anthropomorphic objects. The placement and function seems to have depended on the type of object: for instance, figurines had different placements and meanings to tusks and tags. Ultimately, it appears that anthropomorphic objects, especially figurines, were personal items with which the deceased were identified and buried by their relations and friends. They may have served as magical or protective items, or as representations of ancestors or the deceased individuals themselves. This conclusion is significant, as it confirms the previous assumptions about the functions of anthropomorphic objects in Predynastic graves through a thorough analysis of available data, making a contribution to our understanding of Predynastic burial rituals.
Papers by Ryna Sharp