The College was delighted to welcome the Associate Director of Christie’s, Annabel Kishor, last week as the distinguished guest of the History of Art Society. Annabel is the auction house’s expert in British works on paper, 1600-1830, and over her career has been instrumental in the evaluation, cataloguing, and presentation to sale of some remarkable works by artists such as Turner, Gainsborough, and the Pre-Raphaelites. Most recently, she was involved in the record-breaking sale of the Paul Allen Collection at Christie’s, New York where highlights included works by Van Gogh, Cézanne, Botticelli, and Seurat.
Speaking to a large audience of the College’s art historians, Annabel discussed the problems presented by attribution, documentation, and provenance when handling works, as well as the role played by technical understanding and sound art historical research. She expertly led our pupils through the highs and lows of the auction world, its excitements and frustrations, and its occasional triumphs. She faced a very long series of questions at the end, a sure sign of a speaker who has really struck a chord. Truly she had; it was a fascinating presentation.
Dr Simon McKeown
Head of History of Art
