Selby Whittingham
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Selby Whittingham is an art expert in London. Dr Whittingham has specialized in the work of J.W.M. Turner. He is a consultant to museums and institutions. [1].
Family
Dr. Selby Whittingham was born in Batu Gajah, Malaysia. He was baptised Jeremy Selby Whittingham Oppenheim in 1941 in Malaya, but dropped the name "Oppenheim" soon after by deed poll due to anti-German feeling then. His father escaped in a rowing boat with an Australian General to India, an escape which became the subject of a parliamentary question to Winston Churchill. Whittingham’s uncle, Sir Duncan Oppenheim, besides his life in business, was an artist and Chairman of the Design Council and of the Royal College of Art as well as a member of the V&A Advisory Council. His mother, Barbara Whittingham-Jones, was admitted to the bar at Gray's Inn (the youngest woman then?). She was involved in politics with Randolph Churchill, and subsequently worked in journalism and as a historian, but died young.
Education
Selby Whittingham was educated at Shrewsbury School, Oriel College, University of Oxford, and at the University of Manchester. After attending Shrewsbury School he filled his semi-gap year by attending the French Civilisation Course at the Sorbonne, University of Paris, and as an assistant at the National Portrait Gallery at the invitation of the Director. At Oxford he studied Mods and Greats, (Classics or Literae Humaniores). He was awarded a Doctorate in Art History at the University of Manchester for a thesis on Realism in Medieval Portraiture.
Career and Interest in Turner
It was as a young man that Selby Whittingham began to take a special interest in J.W.M. Turner. His father had the same name as his ancestor, Henry Oppenheim, who was a neighbour of Benjamin Godfrey Windus, whose correspondence with Turner and Ruskin Selby Whittingham discovered and published.
After Oxford, Whittingham was an assistant in the Conway Library at the Courtauld Institute of Art and then went to Manchester City Art Gallery as a trainee assistant for 2 years. He worked as a temporary assistant at the National Portrait Gallery and was then appointed assistant keeper at Manchester City Art Gallery in 1975. The same year he rejoined the staff of Manchester City Art Gallery. He then founded the Turner Society.
Dr. Selby Whittingham was an admirer of John Ruskin and involved with the fine collections of Turner watercolours at Manchester. Dr. Whittingham launched the proposal for a Turner Society to reunite the Turner Bequest in a separate Turner Gallery. Henry Moore became its President, and Vice-Presidents included the Earl of Harewood, John Piper, Victor Pasmore etc. Against of course were the museums (represented by Cecil Gould for the Natonal Gallery, Andrew Wilton for the British Museum and Martin Butlin for the Tate). Dr Whittingham considered that the original Turner Society had abandoned the aims for which is was founded - to reunite the whole Turner Bequest in a separate Turner Gallery -, so he created a new society, The Independent Turner Society. The Independent Turner Society has published many studies relating to Turner's work and life.
Dr. Whittingham organised the Turner Symposium at the University of York in 1980 and the International Colloquium on Artists’ Museums at the University of Paris in 1990). the Independent Turner Society and He was the UK ambassador for the Turner Museum, USA, in 2009.
Publications
Dr. Selby Whittinghamis a regular contributor to ArtWatch Uk Journal, [2]. His other publications include:
- An Historical Account of the Will of J.M.W.Turner, R.A. , 5 fascicules, 415 pp., Independent Turner Society, 2nd edition, 1993-1996;
- The Fallacy of Mediocrity: The Need for a Proper Turner Gallery, 4 fascicules, Independent Turner Society, 1992;
- English Watercolours and Drawings from the Manchester City Art Gallery, Thos. Agnew and Sons Ltd, October 1977, Catalogue by Selby Whittingham (nos 93-116 Turner watercolours);
- Of Geese, Mallards and Drakes: Some Notes on Turner’s Family, with contributions from others, Parts 1-4. 1. The Danbys, 1993, 138 pp., ISBN 1 874564 27 2., 2. The Turners of Devon, 1995, 134 pp, ISBN 1 874564 32 9; 3. Mrs Booth of Margate, 1996, 144 pp, ISBN 1 874564 42 6; 4. The Marshalls & Harpurs, 1999, 290 pp., in 2 fascicules, Independent Turner Society, 1993-1999.
- The World Directory of Artists’ Museums, Lists some 500 museums, houses, monuments, libraries, including those which no longer exist, 148 pp., Independent Turner Society, 1995.
- Ruskin’s Guide to the Turners in the Clore Gallery, Ed. With Robert Walmsley, ISBN 1 874564 12 4, Independent Turner Society;
- ‘Turner, Ruskin and Constable at Salisbury’, The Burlington Magazine, CXIII, May 1971, pp. 272-5
- ‘A Vision of the First Proper National “Turner’s Gallery”’, Independent Turner Society, 2007;
- Ruskin as Turner’s Executor, Essay and documents, 70 pp. ISBN 1 874564 22 1, Independent Turner Society, 1995;
- ‘Turner Exhibited 1856-61, Critique of the Turner Bequest pictures’, 1856-61, 78 pages. ISBN 1 874564 07 8, Independent Turner Society, 1995;
References