Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art
16 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3JA
22 April 2024
Convened by Laura Popoviciu
On 22 April 2024 the Government Art Collection organised a seminar at the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art addressing opportunities and challenges in acquiring historical works, with the aim of building a shared network. Participants included curators, art market professionals, artists and freelance practitioners from 13 institutions across the UK including London, Glasgow, Birmingham and Derby.
Laura Popoviciu (pre-1900 curator) commenced with an introduction to the historical acquisitions at the Government Art Collection. This was followed by a presentation of five case studies of historical works from the National Portrait Gallery, Tate Britain, Museum of the Home, Derby Museums Trust, Williamson Art Gallery and Glasgow Life Museum. The speakers introduced the works, their significance to their respective collections and the different players and funding bodies involved. These included joint acquisitions such as: Joshua Reynolds’ The Portrait of Mai, acquired by the Getty Museum and the National Portrait Gallery, and Rebecca Solomon’s A Young Teacher, acquired by Tate Britain and the Museum of the Home. Speakers shed light on the nature of joint acquisitions, their successes and drawbacks.
Following this, Letizia Treves, Global Head of Research and Expertise from Christie’s in dialogue with Laura Popoviciu, discussed how auction houses can support museums to guide and help facilitate acquisitions and fundraising. Subsequently, the participants engaged in group discussions focusing on acquisition challenges and collaboration opportunities.
A panel discussion comprising Helen Hillyard (curator, Dulwich Picture Gallery), Jon Sleigh (freelance educator), Lisa Kennedy (curator) and Sutapa Biswas (artist) explored different ways of engaging with historical works. The seminar concluded with a guided tour of the Government Art Collection.
