Synopsis:

One man’s quest to see a favourite painting at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge led to the remarkable project, now known as ‘Art UK’ (and online), which has catalogued over 210,000 thousand oil paintings in UK public ownership since 2003.

 

The project now moves on to sculpture. Cataloguers hunted down paintings in damp stores, clambered up dodgy ladders, unrolled masterpieces and sad tatters of canvas. I know! I was one of them. An extraordinary record has been created, which benefits from public interaction online and has become a wonderful resource for education and pleasure.

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Profile:

Read Archaeology & Anthropology at Cambridge University. 1978-1988 Curator at Museum of London specialising in the decorative arts 1714 to present day, exhibitions, lectures, booklets, broadcasts. 1988-1995 moved with family to Japan, lecturing and writing on Oriental / Western cross-cultural and artistic influences. 1995 returned to UK, fundraising for arts companies, writing, lecturing and guiding tours to Japan and of gardens and general history in Scotland. Curated exhibition on Japanese plants and gardens in London and Edinburgh as part of Japan/British celebrations in 2001. Catalogued over 2500 oil paintings for Southern Scotland for the ArtUK project for entry.

Many publications on Japanese plant and garden influences in the West. Most recent publication on the life and work of Sir Henry Raeburn, Scottish portrait painter (2024). Also curating exhibitions in Scotland. Currently preparing exhibition for 2026 on the Scottish Colourist S.J. Peploe.