The role of Curator, Mike Sutherill
Dilemmas figure largely in a territory curator’s job. Take the conundrum faced by Curator Mike Sutherill. Mike is developing proposals for the re-display of the interiors of Blickling Hall, Norfolk, following water damage caused by burst pipes.
'Underneath the existing ceiling, we discovered a highly decorative ceiling painted by John Hungerford Pollen, who is emerging as quite an important 19th century artist.'
It is one of several examples of Pollen’s work throughout the house.
Lord Lothian’s wishes
However, Pollen’s work was covered up in the 1930s. The 11th Lord Lothian was redecorating the house in a style in vogue at the time, which was more sympathetic with the house’s Georgian history.
Lord Lothian, an important character in the Trust’s history, pioneered the ‘Country House Scheme’. The scheme was launched in 1936 and enabled the Trust to acquire many of its stately homes.
When Lord Lothian left his own house, Blickling Hall, to the Trust, his stated wish was to preserve the house as he had left it.
The Blickling dilemma is an excellent example of what Mike’s job is about: deciding how to preserve all aspects of a property with historical accuracy, while remaining true to the former owner’s wishes.
'All sorts of people, including experts in arts and architecture, have had an input.'
Curators versus conservators
Curators are not to be confused with conservators. Conservators have expert knowledge in the science of preservation. Curators specialise in presentation.
'Together, we team up the science and the history,' says Mike.
'Sometimes it means striking a happy medium: a conservator knows how to slow the process of decay, but we also have to be aware that cleaning an item, for example, may remove evidence of years of use, which a curator may feel is appropriate to an artefact’s history.'
From purchasing to cataloguing
Mike’s role also involves getting to know the collections in his care: from purchase to cataloguing.
'I was recently involved in researching some furniture purchases for Oxburgh Hall at auction. We had to be sure of the origins of the pieces we were bidding for. Then we had to raise the funds to buy the furniture. It was, in all, a satisfying exercise, since we managed to acquire some original pieces that had been sold in the 1950s.
'Now of course everything is being recorded on the Catalist database – from the smallest snuff box to the largest tapestry. I have been the co-ordinator for my area’s part in the project - we’ve added 63,759 items to the database.'
No two days the same
A curator has a wide range of responsibilities. Mike says that no two days are the same.
'I enjoy the diversity of the challenges: one day I may be working with a farmer who wants to go organic, and the next I will be figuring out how to replace a painting that has been loaned out for an exhibition.'
Some of the properties Mike is responsible for include Chartwell, Knole, Sissinghurst and Scotney Castle Garden in Kent, Bodiam Castle in East Sussex, Blickling Hall in Norfolk, Ickworth House and Orford Ness in Suffolk, Wimpole Hall in Cambridgeshire, Basildon Park in Berkshire, Cliveden in Buckinghamshire and Polesden Lacey in Surrey.
Working with the Trust
The National Trust cares for one of the world's greatest fine and decorative art collections if you would like to find out more about working with us, please visit our jobs pages.
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