NATIONAL GALLERIES OF SCOTLAND
CURATORIAL DEPARTMENT
SENIOR CURATOR, EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY COLLECTIONS (BAND 5
FULL TIME, PERMANENT)
The National Galleries of Scotland (NGS) cares for, develops, researches and displays the
national collection of Scottish and international art and, with a lively and innovative programme
of activities, exhibitions, education and publications, aims to engage, inform and inspire the
broadest possible public.
NGS is a non-departmental public body (NDPB) centrally funded by the Scottish Government. It
is internationally renowned, attracts nearly 1.5 million visitors per year and consists of the
following sites in Edinburgh:



The Scottish National Gallery on The Mound
The Scottish National Portrait Gallery on Queen Street
The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art on Belford Road
There are also partner galleries: Duff House in Banff and Paxton House in Berwickshire.
The Scottish National Portrait Gallery (SNPG) uses portraiture from the sixteenth century to
contemporary practice to plot in an engaging and inspiring way the history of Scottish
achievement and life. Key figures who have shaped Scotland’s history and reputation are
represented: royals and rebels, poets and philosophers, heroes and villains. The collection
features outstanding oil paintings, sculptures, drawings, watercolours, miniatures and prints.
There are especially strong holdings of the work of key Scottish artists, such as Jamesone,
Ramsay and Raeburn, and major works from other traditions, by, for example, Van Dyck, Lely,
Batoni, Reynolds, Gainsborough, Thorvaldsen and Dadd. The SNPG is also the primary home of
the national collection of photography.
The Portrait Gallery recently underwent a major and widely praised re-development, which
involved entirely restoring the magnificent purpose-built Gallery, providing modern visitor
facilities, presenting the collection afresh and creating a number of new exhibition spaces.
The main purpose of the Senior Curator of Eighteenth-Century Collections is the curatorial care
of the permanent collection of the SNPG’s wide-ranging eighteenth-century artworks. The main
roles of this post are to work with the Director and curatorial team at the SNPG in order to
develop and promote the Gallery’s outstanding collections, to initiate and project manage
exhibitions, to undertake scholarly research on them, to engage the public through talks and
lectures and to recommend potential acquisitions. In addition, the Senior Curator will make a
regular commitment to working with the Scottish National Gallery’s eighteenth-century
collections through research and projects.
The new post holder should be able to prioritise his/her own work, develop his/her own area of
specialisation, enjoy actively presenting the collection to the public, and be accessible for
enquiries of both a specialist and public nature. It will be expected that the post holder will play
an active role in maintaining access to the prints and drawings and miniatures collections for
visiting scholars and members of the public and also updating key research files which relate to
the SNPG eighteenth-century collections.
Organisational Structure: this may alter following the appointment of Senior Curator, Eighteenthcentury Collections.
Director, SNPG
PA to the Director
of the SNPG
Band 7A
Chief Curator &
Deputy Director
Band 3A
Librarian & Research
Assistant
Band 6A
18th Century Senior
Curator
Band 5
Curatoral
Administrator
Band 7
International
Photography Curator
Band 3
Chief Curator
Band 3
Senior Curator
Band 5
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Carry out research at the highest scholarly level in his/her areas of specialism related to the
SNPG Collection.
2. Update relevant SNPG Reference Section research files.
3. To work with colleagues at the Scottish National Gallery on aspects of its eighteenthcentury collections; it is anticipated this would be a regular commitment and involve
spending approximately a third of the post-holder’s time there.
4. Plan, research and write catalogues, references and publications that are accepted as
authoritative statements on behalf of the National Galleries of Scotland.
5. Maintain access to the prints and drawings and miniatures collections for visiting scholars
and members of the public.
6. Initiate, develop and project manage exhibitions, including loan exhibitions.
7. Lecture on the collection to a wide range of different audiences in the Gallery and
elsewhere.
8. Discuss and make verbal and written recommendations for potential acquisitions.
9. In consultation with their line manager, consider requests for loans and make authoritative
proposals.
10. Liaise with partner organisations and attend relevant meetings.
11. Liaise closely with the NGS Education Department over programming and the development
of displays and exhibitions.
12. Any other duties appropriate to the post.
SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
Essential

A degree or equivalent in the history of art or history.

A specialism relevant to the wide-ranging eighteenth-century collections in the SNPG.

The post holder will be required to develop extensive knowledge of works of art in the
Galleries’ collections.

Knowledge of other private and public collections; experience in looking at and handling
works of art; and generally a wide appreciation of art with the ability to communicate
information effectively to the public.

The post holder will be expected to demonstrate reliable judgement in assessing priorities
within a demanding workload and in allocating time to these priorities.

Excellent oral and written communication skills are necessary at all levels, from setting out
the results of academic research and corresponding with scholars in other institutions, to
lecturing to the public and liaising with colleagues on routine matters.

Good organisational skills and the ability to meet deadlines.
Desirable

Experience of working in a gallery or museum and working on exhibitions.

An informed knowledge of Scottish history and culture

Computing skills and an interest in the potential of new media within museums and galleries
are also desirable.
SUMMARY TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Salary:
£25,200 - £27,868
Hours:
42 per week inclusive of meal breaks
Annual Leave
25 days per annum
All staff receive 10.5 public and privilege holidays.
Pension
Civil Service pension provisions enable the National Galleries of Scotland
to offer a choice of occupational and stakeholder pensions, giving you the
flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.
The closing date for all applications is 22 November 2013
Interviews will take place on Monday 2nd December 2013
Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to Basic Disclosure Scotland security
clearance.
National Galleries of Scotland is a charity registered in Scotland (No. SC003728)