Dillian Gordon

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Dillian Rosalind Gordon OBE is a British art historian who worked as a curator at the National Gallery, London from 1978 to 2010, latterly as Curator of Italian Paintings before 1460. [1] She lives in Oxford. [2] She was appointed OBE in 2011 for services to Early Italian Painting. [3] She has authored and co-authored many books, including several National Gallery catalogues.

Contents

Education

Dillian Gordon studied Modern and Medieval Languages at Girton College, Cambridge. [4] She then attended the Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London, where she completed her MA in 1972, with a dissertation on 'The gilded glass Madonna in the Fitzwilliam, Cambridge', [5] followed by a PhD in 1979, 'Art in Umbria c.1250-c.1350', [6] also at the Courtauld. [4] Photographs taken by Gordon while a student are held in the Conway Library at the Courtauld, and are currently (2020) being digitised. [7]

Professional work

Gordon worked at the National Gallery, London, as a curator of early Italian paintings from 1978 until 2010, latterly as Curator of Italian Paintings before 1460. [1] Nicholas Penny, Director, states that Gordon was the first woman to work as a curator at the National Gallery. [8] He mentions some important acquisitions that she was able to arrange, as well as her valued work on exhibitions, and praises her for her meticulous cataloguing of the collection's Early Italian art. She retired from the National Gallery in 2010, but continues to research and write about 13th and 14th century Italian painting. [4]

A highlight of Gordon's curatorial career came in 2000, when she was asked by Sotheby's to assess a painting of a Madonna and Child Enthroned with Two Angels, discovered at Benacre Hall, Suffolk. This prompted a special visit to the Frick Collection in New York, where Gordon and others were able to compare the painting with a similar one acquired by them in 1950, the Flagellation, and the Madonna and Child was identified as coming from the same six-panel diptych, part of an altarpiece, by the 13th century Florentine artist, Cimabue. The panel, dated circa 1280, was subsequently acquired by the National Gallery. [9] Dr Gordon returned to the Frick in 2006 to give a lecture on the subject, when the Madonna and Child was shown alongside the Flagellation in a special exhibition, Cimabue and Early Italian Devotional Painting. [10] [11] Prior to this, in 2003, a further Cimabue panel had been discovered in France, entitled The Mocking of Christ, and Dr Gordon was again asked for her opinion: the panel was dated circa 1280 and considered to be from the same altarpiece as the Madonna and Child and the Flagellation. [12]

In 2006 her opinion was sought on a different artist, when two small paintings were discovered hanging in a modest terraced house in Oxford. They were identified as being by the 15th century Florentine artist Fra Angelico, and thought to be from a panel of eight saints, originally part of an altarpiece from the monastery of San Marco in Florence, dated circa 1440, commissioned by Cosimo de' Medici the Elder. [13] The two paintings sold at auction for £1.7m in April 2007. [14]

Publications

Books and catalogues

Co-authored works

Articles

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. 1 2 "The Italian Paintings Before 1400". National Gallery Shop. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  2. "Honours List: Order of the British Empire, OBE (A-K)". The Independent. 31 December 2010. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  3. Guardian Staff (31 December 2010). "New Year honours list: Order of the British Empire, Officer". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 "Renaissance der Renaissance. Die Malerei des Quattrocento in Florenz / Vortrag Dillian Gordon — Zentralinstitut für Kunstgeschichte". zikgweb.fafalter.de. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  5. Gordon, Dillian (1972). The gilded glass Madonna in the Fitzwilliam, Cambridge (Thesis). OCLC   272494232.
  6. Gordon, Dillian Rosalind (1979). Art in Umbria c. 1250 - c. 1350 (Thesis). University of London. OCLC   59645624.
  7. Fornasier, Faye (30 June 2020). "Who made the Conway Library?". Courtauld Digital Media. Archived from the original on 3 July 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  8. National Gallery (2009–2010). "Review of the Year, 2009-2010 (p7)" (PDF). www.nationalgallery.org.uk.
  9. Weber, Nicholas Fox (4 March 2001). "ART/ARCHITECTURE; Found in a Country House, a 'Curator's Dream'". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  10. National Gallery (2006–2007). "The National Gallery Review, April 2006-March 2007 (p38)" (PDF). www.nationalgallery.org.uk. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 September 2009.
  11. "Past Exhibition: Cimabue | The Frick Collection". www.frick.org. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  12. Cooper, Donal (14 October 2019). "A long-lost Cimabue has emerged". Apollo Magazine. Archived from the original on 14 October 2019.
  13. Morris, Steven (14 November 2006). "A £1m art find behind the spare room door". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  14. "Lost altar paintings go for £1.7m". 19 April 2007. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  15. National Gallery (Great Britain); Gordon, Dillian (1981). 100 Great paintings, Duccio to Picasso: European paintings from the 14th to the 20th Century. London: Sponsored by Coutts & Co. and published by order of the Trustees Publications Dept., National Gallery. ISBN   978-0-901791-75-7. OCLC   10021833.
  16. National Gallery (Great Britain); Gordon, Dillian (1981). Second sight. [catalogue of] a National Gallery exhibition, 18 February-20 April 1981. London: National Gallery. ISBN   978-0-901791-73-3. OCLC   1043324402.
  17. Gordon, Dillian; National Gallery (Great Britain); Arts Council of Great Britain (1982). The National Gallery lends paintings of the warm south by foreign painters in Italy in 17th century: an exhibition organised in conjunction with the Arts Council of Great Britain. London: Publications Dept., National Gallery. ISBN   978-0-901791-81-8. OCLC   778869041.
  18. Gordon, Dillian; Fitzwilliam Museum; Stair Sainty Matthiesen (Gallery); Matthiesen Fine Art Ltd (1983). Early Italian paintings and works of art, 1300-1480: in aid of the Friends of the Fitzwilliam Museum in association with Stair Sainty Matthiesen, New York. London: Matthiesen Fine Art Ltd. OCLC   11427146.
  19. Gordon, Dillian; National Gallery (Great Britain) (1984). Edgar Degas: Hél ene Rouart in her father's study. London: National Gallery. ISBN   978-0-901791-92-4. OCLC   605994230.
  20. Gordon, Dillian; National Gallery, London (1986). British paintings. London: National Gallery Publications. OCLC   484068406.
  21. Gordon, Dillian; Wilton Diptych (2001). The Wilton Diptych: [publ. to accompany an exhibition at the National Gallery, London, 15 September - 12 December 1993. London: National Gallery. ISBN   978-1-85709-036-9. OCLC   255162721.
  22. Gordon, Dillian (2001). The Italian paintings, 1400-1460. London: National Gallery. ISBN   978-1-85709-293-6. OCLC   59381306.
  23. Gordon, Dillian; National Gallery (2003). The fifteenth century Italian paintings. Vol. 1 Vol. 1. London: National Gallery. ISBN   978-1-85709-293-6. OCLC   834142055.
  24. Gordon, Dillian (2011). The Italian paintings before 1400. London: National Gallery Company. ISBN   978-1-85709-482-4. OCLC   769490111.
  25. Gordon, Dillian; Reeve, Anthony (1984). "Three newly-acquired panels from the altarpiece for Santa Croce by Ugolino di Nerio". National Gallery Technical Bulletin / Publ. By Order of the Trustees, Publications Department, National Gallery, London.: 36–52. ISSN   0140-7430. OCLC   887301882.
  26. Gordon, Dillian (1985). "Nardo di Cione's 'altarpiece: three Saints'". National Gallery Technical Bulletin / Publ. By Order of the Trustees, Publications Department, National Gallery, London.: 21–35. ISSN   0140-7430. OCLC   887387898.
  27. National Gallery (Great Britain); Davies, Martin; Gordon, Dillian (1988). The Early Italian schools before 1400. London: National Gallery Publications. ISBN   978-0-947645-21-2. OCLC   1166938361.
  28. Degas, Edgar; Callen, Anthea; Gordon, Dillian; Kendall, Richard; Tate Gallery Liverpool (1989). Degas, images of women. Millbank, London: Tate Gallery Publications. ISBN   978-1-85437-025-9. OCLC   832298002.
  29. Bomford, David; Dunkerton, Jill; Gordon, Dillian; Roy, Ashok; Kirby, Jo (1989). Italian painting before 1400. London: National Gallery. ISBN   978-0-947645-67-0. OCLC   848887453.
  30. Dunkerton, Jill; Foister, Susan; Gordon, Dillian; Penny, Nicholas (1991). Giotto to Dürer: Early renaissance painting in the National Gallery. New Haven; London: Yale University Press : National Gallery. ISBN   978-0-300-05082-0. OCLC   450089203.
  31. Gordon, Dillian; Monnas, Lisa; Elam, Caroline (1998). The regal image of Richard II and the Wilton Diptych. London: Harvey Miller. ISBN   978-1-872501-72-7. OCLC   1001071389.
  32. Ackroyd, Paul; Gordon, Dillian; Keith, Larry (2000). "The restoration of Lorenzo Monaco's "Coronation of the Virgin": retouching and display". National Gallery Technical Bulletin / Publ. By Order of the Trustees, Publications Department, National Gallery, London.: 43–57. ISSN   0140-7430. OCLC   887192328.
  33. Syson, Luke; Gordon, Dillian; Pisanello (2001). Pisanello: painter to the Renaissance court. London: National Gallery Company. ISBN   978-1-85709-932-4. OCLC   881803847.
  34. Roy, Ashok; Gordon, Dillian (2001). "Uccello's "Battle of San Romano."". National Gallery Technical Bulletin / Publ. By Order of the Trustees, Publications Department, National Gallery, London.: 4–17. ISSN   0140-7430. OCLC   887192331.
  35. National Gallery (Great Britain); Gordon, Dillian; Davies, Martin (2001). The Italian schools before 1400. London: National Gallery. ISBN   978-1-85709-918-8. OCLC   1113431776.
  36. Gordon, Dillian; Roy, Ashok; Wyld, Martin (2002). "Fra Angelico's predella for the high altarpiece of San Domenico, Fiesole". National Gallery Technical Bulletin / Publ. By Order of the Trustees, Publications Department, National Gallery, London.: 4–19. ISSN   0140-7430. OCLC   887192447.
  37. Billinge, Rachel; Gordon, Dillian (2008). "The use of gilded tin in Giotto's "Pentecost."". National Gallery Technical Bulletin / Publ. By Order of the Trustees, Publications Department, National Gallery, London.: 76–80. ISSN   0140-7430. OCLC   886804704.
  38. New, Britta; Howard, Helen Catherine; Billinge, Rachel; Tomlinson, Hayley; Peggie, David; Gordon, Dillian (2012). "Niccolò di Pietro Gerini's Baptism altarpiece: technique, conservation and original design". National Gallery Technical Bulletin. 33: 27–49. ISSN   0140-7430. OCLC   821183655.
  39. Gordon, Dillian; Barron, Caroline M; Roy, Ashok; Billinge, Rachel; Wyld, Martin; National Gallery (Gran Bretagna) (2015). The Wilton diptych. London; [New Haven, CT: National Gallery Company ; Distributed by Yale University Press. ISBN   978-1-85709-583-8. OCLC   957010115.
  40. Gordon, Dillian (1981). "A Sienese verre eglomisé and its setting". Burlington Magazine: 148–153. ISSN   0007-6287. OCLC   888325251.
  41. Gordon, Dillian (1982). "A Perugian provenance for the Franciscan double-sided altar-piece by the Maestro di S. Francesco". Burlington Magazine: 70–77. ISSN   0007-6287. OCLC   888325311.
  42. Gordon, Dillian (1986). "The vision of the blessed Clare of Rimini". Apollo: 150–153. ISSN   0003-6536. OCLC   887311110.
  43. Gordon, Dillian (1989). A dossal by Giotto and his workshop: some problems of attribution, provenance and patronage. London: Burlington Mag. OCLC   614892838.
  44. Gordon, Dillian (1991). "Simone Martini's altar-piece for S. Agostino, San Gimignano". Burlington Magazine. ISSN   0007-6287. OCLC   887288652.
  45. Gordon, Dillian (1991). "Perugian fourteenth-century manuscript illumination: Vannes di Baldolo and his associates". Apollo: 327–332. ISSN   0003-6536. OCLC   886858821.
  46. Gordon, Dillian (1992). "A New Discovery in the Wilton Diptych". Burlmaga the Burlington Magazine. 134 (1075): 662–667. ISSN   0007-6287. OCLC   5548462195.
  47. Gordon, Dillian (1993). "The reconstruction of Sassetta's altar-piece for S. Francesco, Borgo San Sepolcro: a postscript". Burlington Magazine: 620–623. ISSN   0007-6287. OCLC   887285171.
  48. Gordon, Dillian (1994). "The mass production of franciscan piety: another look at some umbrian "verres eglomisés."". Apollo: 33–42. ISSN   0003-6536. OCLC   887061702.
  49. Gordon, Dillian; Thomas, Anabel (1995). "A new document for the high altarpiece for S. Benedetto fuori della Porta Pinti, Florence". Burlington Magazine: 720–722. ISSN   0007-6287. OCLC   887378937.
  50. Gordon, Dillian (1995). "The altar-piece by Lorenzo Monaco in the National Gallery, London". Burlington Magazine: 723–727. ISSN   0007-6287. OCLC   887378900.
  51. Gordon, Dillian (1995). "The art of devotion". Apollo: 59–60. ISSN   0003-6536. OCLC   887114725.
  52. Gordon, Dillian (1995). "Renaissance painting and illumination at the Metropolitan". Apollo: 50–51. ISSN   0003-6536. OCLC   887110975.
  53. Gordon, Dillian (1996). "The "missing" predella panel from Pesellino's trinity altar-piece". Burlington Magazine. 138 (1115): 87–88. OCLC   908531975.
  54. Gordon, Dillian (1996). "The so-called Paciano Master and the Franciscans in Perugia". Apollo: 33–39. ISSN   0003-6536. OCLC   887055281.
  55. Gordon, Dillian (1998). "Zanobi Strozzi's 'Annunciation' in the National Gallery". Burlington Magazine: 517–524. ISSN   0007-6287. OCLC   887090692.
  56. Gordon, Dillian; Cimabue (2003). "The Virgin and Child by Cimabue at the National Gallery". Apollo. 157 (496): 32–36. ISSN   0003-6536. OCLC   450046542.
  57. 1 2 Gordon, Dillian (2009). "Andrea di Bonaiuto's painting in the National Gallery and S. Maria Novella: the memory of a church". Burlington Magazine. 151 (1277): 512–518. ISSN   0007-6287. OCLC   781142397.
  58. Gordon, Dillian (2013). "Two newly identified panels from Mariotto di Nardo's altarpiece for the Da Filicaia chapel in S. Maria degli Angeli, Florence". Burlington Magazine: 25–28. ISSN   0007-6287. OCLC   888870012.
  59. Gordon, Dillian (2015). "A possible French source for the left wing of the Wilton diptych". The Burlington Magazine. 157: 821. OCLC   1113101202.
  60. Gordon, Dillian (2019). "Bicci di Lorenzo's altarpiece for the Compagni family chapel in S. Trinita, Florence". The Burlington Magazine: 36–43. ISSN   0007-6287. OCLC   1102421243.
  61. Gordon, Dillian (2020). "The Nobili altarpiece from S. Maria degli Angeli, Florence". The Burlington Magazine: 14–25. ISSN   0007-6287. OCLC   1153996391.