Estelle Galbois

Estelle Galbois is a Lecturer and Deputy Director of the PLH (Heritage, Literature, History) laboratory at the University of Toulouse Jean Jaurès, where she teaches History of Art and Archaeology of Antiquity. Specializing in Greek Art, she instructs courses ranging from Introduction to Greek Art at the undergraduate level to advanced Master's courses on living in ancient cities and countryside. Her academic career spans over fifteen years at the university, culminating in her 2024 HDR (Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches) in Art History from Paris Nanterre University.

• 2024: HDR in Art History from Paris Nanterre University
• 2003-2007: PhD in Art History (co-tutelle between École pratique des Hautes Études and Dresden University)

Galbois's research centers on portraiture in Antiquity, particularly royal portraiture in the Hellenistic period, with a focus on miniature representations. She explores the margins of ancient societies through studies on poverty, miniaturization, obesity, and social decline. Her work bridges art history and archaeology, examining how material culture reflects social structures and power dynamics. She actively participates in the Tebtynis archaeological mission in Egypt, specializing in terracotta figurines, and leads the TERRAEGYPT project studying hollow-molded statuettes from Egypt spanning four centuries.

Galbois's recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on Greek and Greco-Roman terracotta figurines, particularly examining their production techniques, iconography, and social contexts. Her work increasingly connects material culture with broader social questions, especially regarding marginalization in ancient societies. The TERRAEGYPT project forms a significant thread in her recent scholarship, while her 2024 HDR thesis integrates miniature representations to understand ancient Mediterranean societies. Her editorial work on special journal issues shows leadership in advancing coroplastic studies methodology.

• Prix Sydney Forado from the Académie des Sciences, Inscriptions et Belles Lettres de Toulouse (2009)

Galbois leads the TERRAEGYPT project supported by MSHS-T's APEX 2022 call, which comprehensively studies terracotta collections in French regional museums. She's also a member of the ARS TEKNE project (2022-2024) examining artistic know-how from antiquity to present, and the FABRILIA project (2022-2026) on experimental workshops for ancient artistic techniques. Her research integrates historical sciences with material analysis, focusing on craftsmanship transmission and environmental impacts across historical periods.

As Deputy Director of the PLH laboratory, Galbois contributes to research on heritage, literature, and history at Toulouse Jean Jaurès University. She participates in multiple collaborative projects including the international Tebtynis archaeological mission (IFAO/University of Milan), where she studies coroplastic material. Her work connects with scholars across disciplines through the LABEX SMS and various university partnerships, fostering interdisciplinary approaches to ancient material culture.