Elisa Tosi Brandi is a medievalist. Her research focuses on History of culture, society and economy in late Middle Ages, with particular interest in the relationship between dress and society, the production and the trade of clothing. She also study History of Rimini and History of Malatesta lordship, Fashion cultural heritage in long period. Her research is based on a material culture approach. Since September 2021 she has been Senior Assistant Professor (fixed term) in Medieval History at the Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna.
Education
She graduated in 1996 in Medieval History with a thesis on “Medieval Institutions” focus on the relationship between dress and society during the 15th century (advisor prof. Maria Giuseppina Muzzarelli) at the University of Bologna. At the same University she obtained her PhD in Medieval History in 2012 with a thesis on the tailor’s craft in 13th-16th centuries; she was Visiting Student at the Queen Mary University, London (tutor abroad prof. Evalyn Welch). She also obtained a diploma in Archival, Palaeography and Diplomatic at the Archivio di Stato di Modena (1999) and a certificates of attendance courses on the analysis, study and cataloging textiles and clothing at the Fondazione Arte della Seta Lisio (Florence, 2001), at the Fondazione Musei di Palazzo Madama (Turin, 2011), and on the Fashion Archive managed by Fondazione Ferragamo and Archivio di Stato di Firenze (Florence, 2014).
Academic Career
She was Research fellow at the University of Bologna, Rimini Campus in the field of the Costume and Fashion History and Business and Fashion Archive (2002-2020), and at the Department of History and Cultures in the field of the Medieval History (2000-2002; 2000-2007; 2013, 2016-2018). She obtained her Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale as Associate Professor of Medieval History in March 2018 and since September 2021 has been Senior Assistant Professor (fixed term) in Medieval History at the Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna.
Teaching activity
She was lecturer at the University of Bologna, Rimini Campus holding seminars and workshops in the field of Costume and Fashion History, that she taught during two years (Academic Year 2008-2009; 2009-2010); at the Rimini Campus she also taught Fashion and Business and Fashion Archive (A.Y. 2017-2018, 2018-2019, 2019-2020). Now she teaches Medieval History at the first cycle degree/bachelor in Cultural Heritage (L1), and at the single cycle degree program in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage (LMCU); Fashion Culture Heritage at the second cycle degree in Library and Archive Science, at the Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna. She also manages and holds a workshop about Fashion Material Culture, cooperating with others workshop like that of Exegesis of medieval historical sources.
Scientific activity
Since 2020 directs the research project of Pattern of Fashion: Italian Renaissance Clothing (Janet Arnold Award, Society of Antiquaries, London); she manages the research project on Sguardi sulla moda al tempo di Dante (2020-2024) at the Department of Cultural Heritage in cooperation with Fondazione del Monte di Bologna e Ravenna, studying the economic, the use and the cultural value of the fashion objects.
She took part of several research projects, e.g.: Il falso nella moda o la moda del falso (ISA Topic 2020-il falso), Institute of Advanced Study, University of Bologna; Maternal Materialities: Objects, Rituals and Material Evidence of Medieval and Early Modern Childbirth (2019-2021); Luxury & Manipulation of desire: historical perspectives for contemporary debates (2013-2015); Frammenti di identità europea: il velo tra storia e simbolo nell’area mediterranea (tardo medioevo e prima età moderna) (Prin 2009); Castelli medievali e neomedievali dell’Emilia-Romagna (2000-2007), University of Bologna; Censimento, Edizione e Pubblicazione delle Leggi suntuarie italiane dei secoli XIII-XVI in the context of the research program about “Ragione ed etica nel pensiero e nelle istituzioni tra Medioevo ed Età moderna: politica, economia e diritto” (2000-2002), University of Bologna; Censimento dei Santuari Cristiani Italiani, Ėcole Française de Rome, University of Bologna.
Since 2022 she has been co-PI of the research project on ParNov. Parole Nove: indagini sul lessico della Vita nova di Dante Alighieri (AlmaIdea 2022).
She served as referee to National and International peer review journals.
She attended with papers at National and International Congress, e.g,: International Congress of Medieval studies (ICM), University of Leeds (2019, 2022); UCLA – Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Los Angeles, California (2006, 2017); Annual Meeting Renaissance Society of America (2015, 2021); International Congress of Pasold Research Fund (Stockholm, 2012).
Institutional activity
She was Research Fellows Representative at the Department of History and Cultures, University of Bologna (2016-2018). Since 2021 she has been member of Assurance Quality Committee and member of Workshops/Stages Committee at the second cycle degree in Library and Archive Science; she has been also member of Cultural Activity Committee at the Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna.
Scientific and Editorial Boards
She was member of Steering Committee of the “ZoneModa Journal” (2014-2016).
She is member of scientific board of the “ZoneModa Journal” (2017-)
She was Consultant Editor of the “Viator. Medieval and Renaissance Studies”, Centre for Medieval and Renaissance University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
She is corresponding member of Deputazione di Storia Patria per le Province di Romagna (2018-).
Awards
Isa Topic Award 2020, Institute of Advanced Study, University of Bologna, with a research project: Falso e moda / Il falso nella moda o la moda del falso?
Janet Arnold Award 2020, Society of Antiquaries of London with the research project: Pattern of Fashion: Italian Renaissance clothing.
Italia Medievale Award 2021: publishing finalist award with the book Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta. Oggetti, consumi relazioni di un signore del tardo Medioevo, Jouvence, Fano 2020.
Italia Medievale Award 2018: publishing finalist award with the book L’arte del sarto nel Medioevo. Quando la moda diventa un mestiere, il Mulino, Bologna 2017.
Other activity
Member of:
- Renaissance Society of America (2014-)
- Network Dressing the Early Modern (2015-)
- Italian Society for the Middle Ages History (SISMED, 2016-)
- Steering Committee of School of Medicine History, Rimini (2017-)
- Forensic Anthropology, Paleopathology, and Bioarchaeology Research Centre, Avola (SR) (2020-2023).
- The Association of Dress Historians (2021-).
Since 2017 she has been honorary member of Associazione Amici di Rosa Genoni (1867-1954, mother of Italian Fashion), Milano.
