Courtauld Institute of Art

The Courtauld Institute of Art, founded in 1932 by Samuel Courtauld, Viscount Lee of Fareham, and Sir Robert Witt, is a specialised centre for the study of the history and conservation of art. Initially based at Home House in Portman Square, London, it relocated to the Strand block of Somerset House in 1989, where it continues to operate.

The Institute was established to provide serious academic training in art history at a time when the subject was not widely accepted in British universities. Early leadership under William Constable and Thomas Boase set the foundation for the study of art history as part of the humanities, moving beyond its initial focus on connoisseurship and professional training.

After World War II, Sir Anthony Blunt’s directorship marked a period of growth and increased academic rigour. The arrival of scholars from the Warburg Library in Hamburg helped introduce new research methods, integrating art history with broader historical and cultural studies. The Institute expanded its academic staff and student numbers, diversified its curriculum to include modern and contemporary art, and developed conservation science departments.

Facing accommodation challenges in the 1970s, the Courtauld secured its move to Somerset House in the 1980s, a process completed in 1989 after significant fundraising and refurbishment. The Institute achieved independent college status within the University of London in 2002, allowing greater autonomy.

The Courtauld offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in history of art, curating, and conservation. Its art collection, housed in the Courtauld Gallery, is renowned for its French Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings. The Courtauld Connects project, launched in 2019, aims to transform the Gallery and teaching facilities, increasing public access and educational outreach.

The Courtauld Institute of Art was established in 1932 through the joint initiative of three collectors and scholars: Samuel Courtauld, Viscount Lee of Fareham, and Sir Robert Witt. The founding aim was to create a specialised academic centre in the United Kingdom dedicated to the serious study of the history of art and conservation, an idea that had been discussed for some years but met resistance in Britain due to prevailing views that the arts were a pastime of the wealthy, not a suitable subject for university study.

Viscount Lee, a former army officer and public servant, had shifted his focus to the arts after his political career stalled in the early 1920s. He was instrumental in championing the idea of a specialist institute. Samuel Courtauld, wealthy from his family’s textile business and deeply interested in art, provided the principal financial support. His family background included longstanding artistic patronage, and he personally collected works by French Impressionists and Cézanne. Sir Robert Witt, a lawyer and collector of Old Master drawings, contributed a vast collection of reproductions of paintings, which became a key teaching resource for students.

The Institute’s first home was Home House, a townhouse in Portman Square leased by Samuel Courtauld and designed by Robert Adam. The Institute would remain at this location for nearly sixty years. The original collection was housed there alongside the academic facilities.

The first director, William Constable, came from the National Gallery and shared the founders’ outlook. A significant early disagreement arose over whether courses should be restricted to postgraduate students or open to undergraduates. Courtauld favoured the latter, wishing to broaden access to art history, while Constable preferred postgraduate-only courses to maintain academic standards and avoid the Institute being seen as a finishing school. This dispute persisted from the Institute’s opening in 1932.

In 1933, as a result of the Nazi takeover in Germany, a group of scholars attached to the Warburg Library in Hamburg sought refuge in London. Viscount Lee and Samuel Courtauld were instrumental in resettling these émigrés, who brought with them a rigorous scholarly tradition that transformed art history in England. Their approach linked art closely to the intellectual and cultural history of its time, contrasting with the traditional focus on connoisseurship preferred by collectors and the art trade.

William Constable resigned in 1936 after a confrontation with the Institute’s management committee. Thomas Boase was appointed interim director. Coming from the Oxford history school, Boase sought to apply historical methods to art history teaching, marking a shift towards recognising art history as a discipline within the humanities. His teaching style allowed students significant independence, reflecting Oxbridge traditions.

The outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 interrupted academic activities. The Institute’s artworks were evacuated to the countryside, and some lectures continued in places such as Guildford. Margaret Whinney maintained a minimal level of teaching in London during the war. Nonetheless, the war years caused a hiatus, and post-war academic life effectively restarted.

In 1947, Sir Anthony Blunt became director. His tenure, lasting until 1974, was pivotal in raising the Institute’s international reputation. Blunt was a prominent scholar but also covertly involved in espionage for the Soviet Union during the war, a fact unknown publicly for decades but which later affected perceptions. Despite this, Blunt devoted himself to advancing art history.

Under Blunt’s leadership, the Institute expanded its academic staff and student body. The first degree came to be viewed primarily as a qualification for doctoral study. Students often came from diverse academic backgrounds, including history, literature, languages, and philosophy. The curriculum broadened in scope, especially in the 1960s when student interest shifted strongly towards twentieth-century art, facilitated by figures such as Alan Bowness.

Blunt sought to distance the Courtauld from its earlier insular attitudes and represented the scholarly Warburg tradition. He recruited staff such as Johannes Wilde, a refugee scholar who specialised in the Renaissance, and Christopher Hohler, a medievalist with a strong historical focus. The Institute developed scientific and conservation departments, including those dedicated to the examination and restoration of artworks and the study of dress history and wall paintings conservation.

George Zarnecki, a Polish scholar and Deputy Director from 1960, played a key role in the Institute’s operations and reputation. During Blunt’s directorship, student numbers increased from 45 in 1938 to 220 in 1974. The Institute’s library, photographic collections, and staff all expanded. Recruitment policies initially favoured Courtauld graduates, who often secured posts at other universities and museums worldwide. The Institute became influential in shaping British art history education.

The Institute also benefited from private benefactors. Between 1956 and 1981, Barbara Robertson organised annual summer schools attracting international students. The Courtauld’s collections were augmented by bequests such as those from Spooner, Gambier-Parry, and Seilern.

In the 1970s, the Institute faced pressing accommodation issues as its lease at 20 Portman Square approached expiry. Efforts to secure purpose-built accommodation on the University of London’s Bloomsbury site failed, partly due to planning permission lapses and local opposition to building works affecting listed properties. Eventually, the Strand block of Somerset House was identified as a new home.

The move to Somerset House was a complex and costly project, involving negotiations with government departments and the passage of a specific Act of Parliament. Fundraising efforts raised the estimated costs from an initial £3 million to £12 million by completion. Michael Kauffmann, director from 1985 to 1995, oversaw the final phases of the move, which was completed in 1989. The relocation reunited the Institute with its art collections, which had been partially displayed separately since the 1950s.

In the 1990s, as the University of London restructured, the Courtauld faced uncertainty. While many smaller institutes were absorbed into larger colleges or the School of Advanced Study, the Courtauld remained independent. Under director Eric Fernie, with support from Sir Nicholas Goodison, Lord Rothschild, and others, the Courtauld secured independent college status in 2002, supported by a substantial endowment fund.

In the 21st century, leadership passed to Jim Cuno in 2003 and then Deborah Swallow in 2004. The Institute expanded its global links, enhanced student services, and diversified funding.

In 2019, the Courtauld opened a new campus at Vernon Square, King’s Cross, as part of the Courtauld Connects programme. This transformation project, supported by £11 million from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and other donors, seeks to improve visitor access, expand gallery and teaching spaces, and increase public engagement through exhibitions, digital events, and educational outreach. The first phase was completed in 2021, including the reopening of the Courtauld Gallery, a Learning Centre, and Conservation Studios.

The Courtauld Institute of Art offers a focused range of courses primarily in the history of art, curating, and conservation. At the undergraduate level, the sole course available is the Bachelor of Arts (BA) in History of Art. This full-time degree introduces students to various aspects of art history, covering periods from antiquity through to the contemporary. The programme provides a foundation in understanding artistic developments, critical methods, and key historical contexts.

At postgraduate level, the Courtauld provides several taught master’s degrees and diploma courses. These include master's programmes in History of Art, Curating the Art Museum, History of Buddhist Art, and Conservation of Wall Paintings. The History of Art master's degree allows students to specialise in a range of areas, from antiquity to early modern periods and global contemporary art. The small class sizes, often between five to ten students, support detailed study and specialised instruction.

Diploma courses are offered in the Conservation of Easel Paintings and the History of Art. These provide professional training for those seeking practical conservation skills alongside academic knowledge. The conservation courses emphasise the scientific examination, treatment, and preservation of artworks, drawing on the Institute’s well-established conservation science departments.

The Courtauld supports students with extensive study resources, including one of the largest holdings of art history books, periodicals, and exhibition catalogues in the UK. The Institute also maintains photographic libraries—the Conway and Witt collections—that provide access to millions of reproductions of artworks, supporting both teaching and research.

Students engage with a virtual learning environment that delivers course materials digitally. Since 2004, the Institute publishes an annual research journal, Immediations, which features work by research students. Alongside this, the Courtauld collaborates with the Warburg Institute to publish The Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, which presents scholarly research in art history.

The Courtauld Institute of Art is consistently ranked as one of the leading institutions for the study of history and history of art in the United Kingdom. In The Guardian University Guide, it has been placed first for History and History of Art in multiple years, including 2011 and 2017. 

In the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF), the Courtauld was recognised for its research output, with 95% of its research rated in the top two categories (4* and 3*). Notably, 56% of its research was rated as 4*, indicating world-leading quality.

According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency, 76% of Courtauld Institute of Art graduates from the 2020–21 cohort were either employed or engaged in further study. This figure is slightly below the UK average for higher education graduates, which stands at 82%. Among those employed, 57% were in full-time positions, while 10% were in part-time roles. Additionally, approximately 5% were involved in unpaid work or volunteering.

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• Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London | Complete University Guide