Fiona Morel, winner of the 2026 Fondation Etrillard Thesis Prize

The Fondation Etrillard is delighted to have awarded the Fondation Etrillard Prize to Fiona Morel, a student at the École nationale des chartes – PSL, on 30 June 2026.

Established in 2025, this prize recognises the best doctoral thesis by a student at the École nationale des chartes – PSL. With a prize of €8,000, it honours work focusing on European history, the rediscovery of little-known knowledge, or the continuity between the arts of the past and the present.

For this year’s award, Fiona Morel has been recognised for her thesis entitled: ‘Julia Bartet, “la Divine”. The career of an actress and the singularity of a female theatrical celebrity during the Belle Époque’. This research shines a light on Julia Bartet (1854–1941), a leading actress at the Comédie-Française, whose career was long overshadowed by the popularity of Sarah Bernhardt.

The jury praised the work for its great rigour, based on a remarkable compilation of sources and a nuanced analysis of the social and artistic issues of the Belle Époque.

The Etrillard Foundation is delighted to continue, alongside the École nationale des chartes – PSL, a shared commitment to research, excellence and the preservation of European heritage.

Our warmest congratulations to Fiona Morel on this honour!