Julia
Carr-Thornton 

I am a historian of art and science, as well as a practicing artist and potter.

 

I had questions that I couldn’t answer about clay and ceramics, so I went back to school to study materials science and engineering and wound up adding foreign languages to the mix. (Or possibly vice versa!)

 

I was incredibly lucky when I found the project on the life of Alexandre Brongniart because I knew my education and interests had given me exactly what I needed to bridge the artistic, social, and scientific themes of his complex career. In the process, the writing taught me more about eighteenth- and nineteenth-century global art, science, politics, and culture.

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I practice French and Italian regularly, have started taking classes in Chinese again after a long break, keep trying to get more German in, and possibly some Greek. I love the conversations that develop from the pursuit of new languages and cultural knowledge!

 

In addition to writing, I have reopened my art studio in Kentucky, and will continue to make more time for concentrating on painting, drawing, design, and pottery-making!​

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I changed my name from my former married name, Carr-Trebelhorn, to a family name, Carr-Thornton, in July 2026. Both names will appear in these pages and in my publications, but I hope that my ORCID will help link my publications as they continue to develop.