The Courtauld Institute of Art is a self-governing college of the University of London specialising in the study of the history of art and conservation. It is among the most prestigious specialist colleges for the study of the history of art in the world and is widely known for the disproportionate number of directors of major museums drawn from its small body of alumni.
Alumni
Pamela Askew, historian of Baroque art
James Austin, fine-art and architectural photographer
Reyner Banham, critic
Emily Barr, writer
Graham W. J. Beal, director, Detroit Institute of Arts (1999–2015) John Béchervaise, writer Naomi Beckwith, curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago Olivier Berggruen, art historian and curator Ron Bloore, artist Alan Borg, director, Victoria and Albert Museum (1995–2001); director, Imperial War Museum (1982–1995); keeper, Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts (1978–1982) Eve Borsook Sir Alan Bowness, director, Henry Moore Foundation, (1988–1994); director, Tate Gallery (1980–1988) Allan Braham Anita Brookner, novelist and art historian; winner of the 1984 Booker Prize Wolf Burchard, art historian, author and curator Aviva Burnstock, conservator Martin Butlin, art historian Edie Campbell, model Thomas P. Campbell, former director, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (2009–2017) Peter Cannon-Brookes, art historian and curator Edmund Capon, director, Art Gallery of New South Wales (1978–2011) Rafael Cardoso, Brazilian writer and art historian Nigel Carrington, vice-chancellor, University of the Arts London Charlie Casely-Hayford, fashion designer Cathleen Chaffee, curator, art historian, writer Noah Charney, art historian and novelist Bridget Cherry, architectural historian and series editor of the Pevsner Architectural Guides (1971–2002) Betty Churcher, director, National Gallery of Australia (1990–1997) T. J. Clark, art historian Joshua Compston, curator Henry Conway, socialite Robin Cormack, classicist and Byzantine art historian Nicholas Cullinan, director, National Portrait Gallery, London (2015–present) William J. R. Curtis, architectural historian Melvin Day, artist and art historian Jeremy Deller, artist; winner of the 2004 Turner Prize Anne d'Harnoncourt, director, Philadelphia Museum of Art (1982–2008) Emmanuel Di Donna, art dealer Kerry Downes, architectural historian Daisy Dunn, classicist, author, journalist and critic Nell Dunn, writer John Elderfield, chief curator of painting and sculpture, Museum of Modern Art, New York David Elliott, curator Lucy Ellmann, novelist Gabriele Finaldi, director, National Gallery (2015–present) Jonathan Foyle, architectural historian David Franklin, director, Cleveland Museum of Art (2010–2013) Stanisław Frenkiel, artist, art historian, head of art, Institute of Education Terry Friedman, art & architectural historian and curator Tamar Garb, art historian Julian Gardner, art historian Nicky Gavron, Deputy Mayor of London (2003–2004 and 2008–2012) Delia Gaze Roselee Goldberg, art historian and curator Cecil Gould, keeper, National Gallery (1973–1978) Andrew Graham-Dixon, critic Lindy Grant Theo Green, film composer Paul Greenhalgh, director, Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, Norwich (2010–present); director, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. (2006–2010) Lavinia Greenlaw, poet and novelist William M. Griswold, director, Cleveland Museum of Art (2014–present) Mark Hallett, director of studies, Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art Jenny Harper, director National Art Gallery, New Zealand (1990–1992), director Christchurch Art Gallery (2006–present) Rosemary Harris, children's book author Sumaya bint Hassan, Jordanian princess John Hayes, director, National Portrait Gallery (1974–94) Deborah Howard, art historian Alice Instone, painter Michael Jaffé Lee Johnson, art historian Nancy Johnson Sir Mark Jones, director, Victoria and Albert Museum (2001–11) Francis Robert Kelly Martin Kemp, art historian Michael Kitson Tim Knox, director of the Royal Collection Trust, former director, Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge Nicole Krauss, novelist Ellen Lanyon Narisa Levy of the royal family of Thailand Walter Liedtke Neil MacGregor, director, National Gallery (1987–2002), British Museum (2002–2015) Denis Mahon Carolyn Marino Malone Jonathan Mane-Wheoki, curator, author, museum professional Tim Marlow, critic Andrew Martindale Matthew McLendon, director, McNay Art Museum; Fralin Museum of Art (2017-2023) Lady Delia Millar, art historian Sir Oliver Millar, Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures Christopher P. Monkhouse, American architectural historian and curator Edward Morris (1940-2016), gallerist and art historian Peter Murray, art historian Helly Nahmad, London-based gallerist and art dealer George T.