Christ Church welcomes French Ambassador
On 15 October, Christ Church was honoured to welcome Her Excellency Hélène Tréheux-Duchêne, French Ambassador to the United Kingdom, together with members of her team, during their “away day” in Oxford.
Professor Geraldine Johnson, Head of the University of Oxford’s Faculty of the History of Art and Tutor at Christ Church, greeted the Ambassador on arrival. The visit concluded with afternoon tea in the McKenna Room, hosted by Professor Jennifer Yee, Senior Censor and Tutor in French.
During her time at Christ Church, Mme Tréheux-Duchêne visited the College Library, where Librarian Gabriel Sewell and Senior Rare Books Librarian William Hale presented a selection of treasures highlighting the long-standing cultural connections between France and Britain.
Among the items shown was a manuscript of a book of Psalms made for Queen Elizabeth I by the French Huguenot calligrapher Esther Inglis, whose exquisite work exemplifies the artistic and religious exchanges of the early modern period.
Other notable works included the Hours of St Denis, a late 15th-century French Book of Hours written by Jean Dubreuil and illuminated by the artist known as Maître François, and the Sarum Hours, a richly decorated Book of Hours printed on vellum in Paris in 1501 by Philippe Pigouchet and Simon Vostre for the English luxury market.
The Ambassador also toured Christ Church’s Cathedral and Hall, guided by Patti Stansfield and Miranda Hockliffe, and visited the Picture Gallery, where its Curator Jacqueline Thalmann introduced some highlights from the collection.
The Christ Church community was delighted to host the French Ambassador and her team, and we look forward to building on this very successful visit to develop future collaborations celebrating the shared artistic and cultural heritage of France and Britain.
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