First and foremost, I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. Bellow, for her guidance, support, and encouragement in every step of my research and writing. I am also grateful to Dr. Ying-Chen Peng and Dr. Joanne Allen for their expertise and insight as my ideas and writing developed. 

I am forever indebted to the friends and family who have encouraged me and supported me through the highs and lows of this two year adventure. To my partner, Ryan, thank you for encouraging me to chase my passions, for setting aside your own stressful work assignments to cheer me on with mine, and for always celebrating my achievements. To my parents, thank you for always believing in my ability to achieve great things, and for thinking everything I do is spectacular (even when it isn’t). To Emma, forever my favorite cheerleader, who has listened to all my rantings and ramblings about art history, who always goes to great lengths (and distances) to make sure I feel supported, thank you. To my dog, Maya, thank you for always being by my side.

I would be remiss not to thank my cohort peers for sharing in this experience with me, and for always being a source of encouragement and support as we navigated the waters of higher education together. The last two years would have been lonely and not nearly as fun without you. Specifically, I’d like to thank Grace. I am so grateful you asked me for notes the first week of classes. Thank you for your friendship, your brilliance, and your sense of humor.  

Finally, I’d like to acknowledge a very notable absence. Benny, your constant interruptions and velvet ears were sorely missed throughout the last year.

Marie-Claire Kent, “‘Adorned After Nature’: Émile Gallé’s Bois des Îles at the 1889 and 1900 Expositions Universelles,” Masters Capstone Project, American University, 2023. https://edspace.american.edu/emilegallesfurniture/