When the Austrian Ernst Gombrich died in November 2001 at the age of 92, The New York Times described him as ‘probably the world’s best-known art historian’. And with good cause. First published in 1950, his best-selling Story Of Art had sold in millions and been translated into no fewer than 23 languages.
The Story of Art certainly changed Rose’s life. Rose was a teenager when her grandmother made a gift of a copy. In Gombrich’s writing Rose found a beauty, a clarity and an indispensable guide to, well, everything, the length and breadth, the past and present, the seen and the unseen, the desirable and the undesirable, of human experience. There, in her hand, in the breaks between classes at school, was the story of all she wanted to know about life. Page after page, of cultures, of beliefs, of whole civilisations, of nature, of love and war, of such emotion and creativity and endeavour, so much more than Rose had ever encountered. Art and Gombrich, in 472 pages and 370 illustrations, captured it all.
In the years that followed her formal and informal education, Rose converted a passion for art into practical experience, first at Sotheby’s in the commercial art world; and secondly, in a career as an art journalist covering both the contemporary art world and the art market.
It was only during an unexpected third phase in her career, as a teacher of Art History, that Rose fully realised how the story of art could change the lives of young people. It wasn’t a question of simply knowing who painted what, when and where, for whom, and for what purpose. It was a matter of opening a window, a new way of looking at the world, a means of grasping all of its colours and rich diversity.
Art History made the connection between culture, history, critical thinking and so many of the most captivating examples of human endeavour ever created. It had the power to transform lives, so why was it only taught in a handful of state schools across the country? That was Rose’s thinking.
And it is because of Rose’s thinking that, since 2016, art philanthropy in Britain has been defined by more than conservation, collections, museums, galleries and support of up-and-coming artists. By establishing the charity Art History Link-Up, Rose ensured that pupils from state schools, from the most diverse backgrounds, would have much more than the opportunity open to all, to walk in and gaze upon some of the world’s finest art on display. Sixth form state-school-supported pupils would be given free accredited Art History courses, starting in The Wallace Collection and The National Gallery.
The pandemic closures of 2020 and 2021 had the effect of doubling student numbers, with more than half participating in the online courses coming from beyond Greater London. The charity started to go further, helping young learners to brush up on their Art History studies through homework clubs, mentoring, advice on further art-related education options, and by providing information on access to relevant work experience.
So far, more than 500 young people from over 200 state schools across the UK have discovered the story of art thanks to Rose and her team and partners. Better still, they have discovered their story – or at least how it could be, how it might unfold – through Art History. Many have pursued university degrees and careers relating to art.
Rose is adamant. ‘Art history matters because understanding why things look the way they do, matters’. Making art history available for everyone is her goal. Not because it’s a special subject, or a subject for specialists accessible to only a small elite. It is precisely the opposite, because art history offers access to every field of endeavour, every aspect of human experience, just as Ernst Gombrich had once shown her.
Art History as a subject is cross-curricular in educational jargon. It is more meaningful to say that art history is the story of everything we are, of everything we have been, the story of heart and creative spirit combined.
It also happens to be Rose’s story of where passion, determination, the philanthropist’s search for an innovative and enduring solution, and a fair opportunity for young people whoever they are, all meet.