The Bowes Museum Blog

Elizabeth Conran was the Curator of The Bowes Museum from 1979 until 2000 when she retired after successfully steering the Museum away from the proposed winter closure and through its transaction from local authority asset to a charitable trust.
With an emphasis on professional standards and knowledge, she appointed new curators of local history and archaeology, textiles and ceramics. Elizabeth brought a fresh eye to the collections including the revamp of the 19th Century French Decorative Arts galleries.

The Bucintoro returning to the Molo on Ascension Day after the Ceremony of Wedding the Adriatic by Canaletto, 1730 painting purchased by Elizabeth with the aid of grants from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the Art Fund, the Victoria and Albert Museum Purchase Grant Fund and the Friends of The Bowes Museum in 1982

By introducing a programme of exhibitions – both internally and externally, she initiated a series of ground-breaking modern art exhibitions including Private View – modern sculpture by the Henry Moore Institute, and Spirit of the Times – modern continental decorative art curated by Janice Blackburn. Around this time the practice of lending works to emanant galleries such as the National Gallery, in London was introduced putting The Bowes on the map.
A major public fundraising campaign was organised by Elizabeth to acquire work by Canaletto; she bought the ‘export stop’ Warwick cabinet and gave private tours to
Royalty including Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret.
Elizabeth Conran celebrated the Museum’s centenary in 1992 by linking with the town and organising processions and fireworks. There was also a major exhibition Royal Style; The Queen Mothers Wardrobe curated by Joanna Hashagen, a display at the London ceramics fair and a mention in the international Scala Guide which brought the Museum to world-wide attention.

She oversaw the fundraising for a tree campaign resulting in 69 trees being planted in the gardens including (fortuitously as it turned out) a second monkey puzzle, next to John Bowes original tree – felled in 2018 and now being turned into beautiful bowls.
Elizabeth was awarded an OBE in 1994 and recently donated her art reference library to the Museum.
Elizabeth Conran, a very knowledgeable, respected and well loved lady.

Article by: Rachael Fletcher, Marketing Manager, extracted from Bowes Arts the magazine of The Friends of The Bowes Museum, Summer 2019/ No 75

For more information, or to become a Friend of The Bowes Museum and receive a free copy of Bowes Arts, please follow the link: https://www.thebowesmuseum.org.uk/Friends/Membership-Benefits