Curator of French Decorative Arts, Permanent Position, c. £31,000 to £37,000

As part of the small curatorial team and reporting directly to the Collections and Academic Director, you will be responsible for the care of the Wallace Collection’s 18th-century French decorative art collections and related archival material. While the 18th century will be at the core of the post, this will in practice mean French ceramics, furniture, gold boxes and other metalwork approximately from c. 1650 through into the 18th century, but also including 19th-century material, much of which reproduces the styles of the previous century.

The role:
The post holder will be required to be a champion for 18th-century France and for the decorative arts of this period, both within the Wallace Collection and beyond, caring for these collections, undertaking high-quality research into them and strengthening the Wallace Collection’s reputation as a centre of excellence for the study of eighteenth-century century French art, through this helping to promote understanding and enjoyment of the subject and of this Collection.

The person:
With responsibility for caring for, researching and publishing on French 18th-century decorative arts in the Wallace Collection, the postholder, who will be educated to doctoral level or equivalent, must bring to the job a demonstrable relevant publishing record, as well as some experience of caring for works of art. So as to be able to place the collections in their broader context and to develop the Wallace Collection’s reputation as a centre of excellence for 18th-century scholarship, the postholder must be deeply sympathetic to French 18th-century history and culture.

- A Ph.D. or an equivalent publication and research record
- An excellent knowledge and understanding of one or more aspects of French 18th-century decorative arts, and a demonstrable record of publication
- A passion for 18th-century France and a good familiarity with the history and social contexts of the period
- Excellent written and spoken communications skills, including experience of public speaking
- Fluent spoken and written French, and one other mainstream European language
- Ability to work as a member of a small team
- A conscientious and meticulous approach towards record-keeping
- Willingness to supervise occasional evening events and to take part in the wider life of the Wallace Collection

Other desirable qualities:

- Flexibility
- Ability to learn quickly on the job
- Cheerful and positive approach to life
- An appreciation of how the Wallace Collection operates in the broader subsidised sector.

For full details of the post and an application form please visit our website, www.wallacecollection.org. Or you can e-mail your name and address to personnelwallacecollection.org or write to the Personnel Manager, The Wallace Collection, Hertford House, Manchester Square, London W1U 3BN.

Closing Date for applications: Friday 12th August 2011

The Wallace Collection is an equal opportunities employer