Previous Posts: January 2024
The Huntington are Hiring!
January 11 2024
Picture: huntington.org
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in California are hiring an Assistant Director of Research.
According to the job description:
Essential Duties
Organizing and managing the academic programs (conferences and lectures) sponsored by the Research Division each year, in conjunction with the Director
Fostering the visibility of the Fellowship Program through outreach to academic institutions and attendance at regional, national, and international conferences; identifying, creating, and publicizing opportunities for Fellows to present their scholarship in diverse public settings and formats
Working with the Fellows in consultation with Library, Art, and Botanical Curatorial staff to develop content across multiple platforms for The Huntington
Working with Huntington colleagues to develop special programs (workshops, symposia, summer institutes, etc.)
Liaising with the Education, Communications, and Digital Divisions to connect the scholarly work that Fellows do in our collections to a broad audience of educators, students, members, and the local community.
Other duties as may apply.
The job comes with an annual salary between $80,000 - $90,000 per annum.
Good luck if you're applying!
Oligarch buys expensive art (ctd.)
January 10 2024
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The ongoing art related lawsuits relating to the Russian oligarch Dmitry Rybolovlev have appeared in the press again recently. This time Rybolovlev is suing the auction house Sotheby's in New York, accusing them of assisting the dealer Yves Bouvier in convincing him to pay what he claims to be inflated prices for works of art.
Become the Director of The British Museum
January 10 2024
Picture: saxbam.com
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The British Museum are hiring a new Director.
According to the covering letter from the museum's Chair of Trustees (the former Conservative chancellor, George Osborne):
We are looking for someone who has a vision for the future of the British Museum and its purpose as a national and a global museum in the 21st century. Developing and articulating that vision will require creativity, charisma and a passion for the British Museum. But that alone is not enough. The next Director must also have a track record of successfully running a complex organisation, and of commanding the respect of a large and diverse staff, which has a body of curatorial and collection care staff at its core but also includes a wide array of other functions, from security and visitor services to HR and IT. The next Director must also be willing and able to communicate the purpose of the Museum to the media and to the public.
The Board of Trustees go into this recruitment campaign with an open mind. We are agnostic about the type of candidate we are looking for, whether that is someone from within or outside the museums sector. I would encourage anyone who thinks they have the knowledge, skills, energy, and temperament to run one of the world’s greatest museums to apply. Show us how you can seize the opportunities available to the Museum and how you can help address the challenges it is facing.
The job comes with an annual salary of £215,841 per annum and applications must be in by 26th January 2024.
Good luck if you're applying!
Being a woman between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance
January 9 2024
Picture: mba.tours.fr
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Musée des Beaux-Arts de Tours are opening a very interesting sounding exhibition later this Spring. The Sceptre and the Distaff. Being a woman between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance (basic translation) aims to examine the place, role and image of women in society in the late middle ages through over a hundred paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, prints and everyday objects. The exhibition draws on loans from throughout France and is jointly organised with the Bibliothèque nationale de France and the Louvre.
The exhibition will run from 8th March until 17th June 2024.
The National Gallery acquire Bloemaert
January 9 2024
Picture: The National Gallery
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Apologies, I'm a little slow to the news (posted here by CODART) that The National Gallery in London have acquired Abraham Bloemaert's Lot and his Daughters. The work has been on loan to the gallery for several years now, and had formerly been given both the Rubens and Jordaens in the distant past.
The Wallace Collection are Hiring!
January 9 2024
Picture: The Wallace Collection
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Wallace Collection in London are hiring a Curator of Arms and Armour.
According to the job description:
The Curator of Arms and Armour is part of the Curatorial Team and is managed by the Director of Collections and Research. The main purpose of the role is to provide curatorial expertise in the development, care, documentation and research, presentation and interpretation of the Arms and Armour collections at the Wallace Collection.
The job comes with a salary between £40,000 - £45,000 per annum and applications must be in by 28th January 2024.
Good luck if you're applying!
UK Temporary Export Ban on Fra Angelico
January 9 2024
Picture: Christie's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Following on swiftly from the previous post, the UK Government has placed a temporary export ban on Fra Angelico's Crucifixion which realised £5,001,000 at Christie's London last July. UK institutions have until 7th April 2024 to help save the artwork for the nation.
According to the above press release:
Committee member Christopher Baker said:
Fra Angelico was one of the great innovators in the evolution of early 15th-century Florentine art. This profoundly moving devotional work, with its delicate colour harmonies and deeply considered, expressive figures, demonstrates the enduring power of his achievement. It is an extraordinary rarity that assists with our understanding of a formative period in the artist’s career and in the development of Italian Renaissance painting more widely. Its appeal also extends far beyond such scholarship because of its numinous beauty.
Executed in tempera on a wooden panel, the painting retains its original frame and has been in Britain since the early 19th century. It would constitute a major addition to a UK public collection and every effort should be made if possible to acquire it.
How did the Bassano Leave Italy? (ctd.)
January 9 2024
Picture: Getty
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Regular readers will remember the controversy in 2021 regarding questions surrounding the export from Italy of Jacopo Bassano's The Miracle of the Quails. The work, which received an export license in 2017 with a valuation of €120,000 (later reduced to €70,000), was eventually acquired by the Getty in Los Angeles where it was cleaned and upgraded to the artist in full (reports indicate that it was initially exported as 'Attributed to Bassano'). In light of the acquisition, the relevant cultural ministry in Rome decided to annul the export license, which led to a legal battle between the museum and Italian state.
The Art Lawyers Association have just published an extended article by Giuseppe Calabi on the most recent developments in the case (spotted via. @artlawalex on 'X'). Essentially, an Italian court ruled in November that the export license will not be revoked, which Calabi claims will set a major precedent for cases in the future. Click on the link to read the whole article, which is most fascinating indeed.
Rembrandt Standard Bearer Documentary on Dutch TV
January 9 2024
Picture: televizier.nl
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Lucky readers in the Netherlands will be able to watch a new documentary tomorrow on the acquisition of Rembrandt's Standard Bearer (spotted via. @RembrandtsRoom on 'X'). Regular readers will remember that Rijksmuseum agreed to pay €175m for the work back in 2021. It appears that the documentary will be probing whether the price was value for money, amongst other topics relating to this masterpiece.
The documentary will be shown on 10th January 2024 at 20.20pm on NPO 2.
Sotheby's New York Part II
January 9 2024
Picture: Sotheby's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The upcoming Sotheby's New York Master Paintings Part II sale has been posted online. This live auction will take place on 1st February 2024.
As usual, I won't spoil the fun by pointing out any lots in particular. Happy browsing!
Richard Green to Leave 33 New Bond Street
January 8 2024
Picture: The Antiques Trade Gazette
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Antiques Trade Gazette has shared news that the London dealer Richard Green will be leaving their premises on 33 New Bond Street. The firm, which has owned the freehold since 1995, will be leasing out the building to a French fashion brand. They have announced that they will keep ownership of the freehold and concentrate their efforts on the firm's existing headquarters over the road at no 147.
According to the article:
Jonathan [Green] said the firm has “always responded flexibly to changing art market conditions… and we accepted a favourable offer from a fashion house to lease 33 New Bond Street”.
He added: “We are fortunate in this respect to have two galleries in proximity in a prime location in central London. But we have decided it is better to focus our attention on the larger of our two galleries.
The article also shares news that Charles Green, Jonathan’s second son, has joined the family firm. In other related Green news, Charles' older brother Oli has been in the press a lot recently for having had a baby girl with the actress Sienna Miller. Congratulations to the couple!
The Walpole Society is Hiring!
January 8 2024
Picture: walpolesociety.org.uk
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Walpole Society is hiring a Executive Administrator to join their team.
According to the job advert:
The role spans the breadth of the Society’s projects, with the shared objective of raising the profiles of both the Society and the Prize:
Berger Prize
Liaise with publishers, organise book distribution
Coordinate judges' meetings, draft reports
Organise two annual events (venues, catering etc)
Marketing the events, podcast, nominees & winners
Walpole Society
Maintain membership records
Prepare address lists for annual mailing
Point of contact for members
Membership recruitment initiatives
Coordination with bookkeeper & treasurer
Committee minute-taking
Online
Maintain the Society & Berger Prize website
Creating email newsletters and social media promotion
Working with stakeholders on marketing
This part-time role pays £20 per hour and applications must be in by 26th January 2024.
Good luck if you're applying!
_____________
Did you know that Membership to the Society is a mere £45? It's £20 if you're a Student. A bargain!
Rare and Indispensable: Masterpieces from Flemish collections
January 8 2024
Picture: mas.be
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
I'm a little late to this very intriguing sounding exhibition which is open in Antwerp at the moment. Rare and Indispensable: Masterpieces from Flemish collections opened at the end of last year, and has been put on to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 'Flemish Masterpiece Decree'. This law made is possible to save and keep certain works of art in the country, in case they were sold to a collector or institution abroad. The exhibition is being hosted by Museum aan de Stroom (MAS).
According to the blurb:
Magritte, Bacon, Ensor, Moore, Jordaens, Rubens … These are just some of the world-famous names on display at the MAS. The not-to-be-missed exhibition 'Rare and Indispensable' brings a unique selection of masterpieces from the Flemish masterpiece list. Works of art you normally would have to travel all over Flanders to see, or which were never even publicly accessible, can now be temporarily admired in one museum hall. All in honour of the 20th anniversary of the 'Flemish Masterpiece Decree'.
The exhibition closes on 25th February 2024.
11 Allan Ramsay Paintings to be Restored and Redisplayed
January 8 2024
Picture: The Georgian House, Edinburgh
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The American Friends of British Art have announced that they will be giving a grant to assist with the cleaning and restoration of 11 paintings by Allan Ramsay. The conserved works are intended to be exhibited this year at The Georgian House, Edinburgh, a building cared for by The National Trust for Scotland. No specific details yet as to which paintings will be conserved, so stay tuned!
Mark Hallett on Courtauld Challenges
January 8 2024
Picture: The Art Newspaper
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Art Newspaper have published an interview with the Courtauld Institute of Art's new director, Mark Hallett. The piece focuses on the hopes and challenges ahead, including the need to diversify its student body and raise £50m to renovate its academic wing at Somerset House.
Suffolk City Council Announce 100% Cut to Arts Budget
January 8 2024
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Suffolk City Council, the part of England where Thomas Gainsborough once called home, has announced its plan to cut its arts budget by 100%. In particular, it has announced that it will stop core funding of £500,000 to art and museum sector organisations from April 2025 (quote The Guardian). This is part of a wider plan to make £64.7 million savings to refocus energies and funds to prioritise adult and childcare in the county. Local groups, particularly spearheaded by the theatre sector in the region, are leading a campaign to encourage the council to change their minds.
Berlusconi's Art Collection (ctd.)
January 8 2024
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Guardian have published a follow up piece on news that former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi had amassed an enormous collection of paintings (all copies, it seems!). The article focuses on an interview with Lucas Vianini, who was the curator to the collection in the final years of the politician's life.
Some interesting passages include:
Berlusconi’s heirs inherited a vast empire including a football club, properties, yachts and his main asset, Mediaset, Italy’s largest commercial broadcaster, worth more than €6bn. The former premier also left behind artworks by Italian greats including Canaletto and Titian that hung on the walls of Villa San Martino.
...
[Vianini claimed] “Sgarbi [the previous valuer] was not very generous in his evaluation and he didn’t consider the important works among the collection,” he said. “Besides, the aim wasn’t about spending a million on a painting – Berlusconi had already done that. He chose the paintings for their beauty and pleasantness. The aim was to take a walk through many pictorial genres.”
Click on the link above to read the full article.
Moroni Exhibition in Milan
January 5 2024
Video: FAIchannel
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Gallerie d’Italia in Milan opened a new exhibition last month entitled Moroni (1521-1580). Il ritratto del suo tempo. The exhibition is supported by extensive international loans and provides a full chronology of the artist alongside works by his contemporaries and those who influenced him.
The show will run until 1st April 2024.
Bendor on UK Museum Copyright Fees
January 5 2024
Picture: The Art Newspaper
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Bendor has penned a brilliant New Years gift to those wanting to produce beautifully illustrated publications (of two-dimensional historic artworks in UK collections). The Art Newspaper has published a piece by AHN's very own co-editor on a recent judgement on copyright in the Court of Appeal (20 November) which heralds the end of UK museums charging fees to reproduce historic artworks. Notably, UK museums have for decades been relying on the particularly low threshold of UK copyright law, in particular those laws set out by the 1988 Copyright, Designs and Patents Act.
To quote perhaps the most important part of the article:
In his ruling (THJ v Sheridan, 2023), Lord Justice Arnold wrote that, for copyright to arise: “What is required is that the author was able to express their creative abilities in the production of the work by making free and creative choices so as to stamp the work created with their personal touch”. Importantly, he went on: “This criterion is not satisfied where the content of the work is dictated by technical considerations, rules or other constraints which leave no room for creative freedom”. In other words, if the aim of a museum photograph is to accurately reproduce a painting (which it must be), then it cannot acquire copyright.
Click on the link above to read the whole article!
Three Fuselis Coming Up at Artcurial
January 5 2024
Picture: @matthieu.fournier.omp
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Exciting news via. Instagram that Artcurial will be offering three paintings by Henry Fuseli in Basel during March 2024. The works on offer, which had been in the collection of Benjamin Sharpe of Hanwell Park, Middlesex, include this rather beautiful canvas depicting Rezia throwing herself with Huon into the sea. No precise details or estimates have been provided just yet, stay tuned!
