Warburg Curatorial Conversation - 'Do the Old Masters Matter Anymore?'
Anthony van Dyck, Samson and Delilah, c. 1618-20, oil on canvas, Dulwich Picture Gallery, London.
Jennifer Scott recently oversaw a complete re-presentation of the Dulwich Picture Gallery's world-famous collection. As the UK's first purpose-built public art gallery, there is a generally accepted view that Dulwich's Old Master paintings are important - but do artists like Rembrandt and Raphael really have a place in today's world? What can museum directors and curators do to keep Collections feeling fresh and relevant? And what is the key to a successful display?
Jennifer Scott has been The Sackler Director of Dulwich Picture Gallery since April 2017. She has responsibility for the artistic vision, management, and strategic leadership of the world’s first purpose-built public art gallery. She was previously Director of the Holburne Museum, Bath (2014-2017), and Curator of Paintings at Royal Collection Trust (2004-2014). She previously worked at the National Gallery, London and National Museums Liverpool. She has published widely on Dutch and Flemish painting and wrote the first survey of state portraiture from within the British Royal Collection, The Royal Portrait: Image and Impact (2010).
Curatorial Conversations bring to the Warburg curators of world-leading museums and galleries to discuss their work. The conversations, led by academics at the Warburg Institute, discuss the issues of setting the curatorial agenda and staging meaningful encounters with objects. The series is designed to draw out discussion of the discoveries made, challenges tackled and the lessons learned in installing objects in the permanent collection and putting together internationally renowned exhibitions.