The Hunterian

A three year PhD is being offered jointly within the Centre for Textile Conservation and Technical Art History, and The Hunterian at the University of Glasgow.

The core theme of the PhD would be the Scottish Decorative and Pictorial Painted Textiles in the Victorian and Edwardian Period. The research would cover material such as upholstery, soft furnishings, hangings and floor coverings, and it would include work by C.R. Mackintosh and his circle as well as their lesser-known contemporaries. The student would be jointly supervised by: Professor Christina Young and Lecturer, Karen Thompson with additional supervision from Joseph Sharples, Mackintosh Curator at The Hunterian. Therefore, the student would have a unique support in the art historical and curatorial context, conservation of textiles and paintings, and scientific examination techniques. This PhD research will draw upon the collections at The Hunterian and Glasgow Museums for object study, source documents and archival records held in the University of Glasgow Special Collections and Scottish Archives. There is also plenty of room within the theme for the PhD candidate to develop their own directions of original research.

The applicant would be expected to have a background in art history, conservation, technical art history, although other relevant subjects would be considered. The applicant will be expected to have a minimum of a 2:1 at undergraduate study and a Master’s qualification in a relevant subject area.

Finances
A contribution towards fees and subsistence of £10,000 will be available annually for three years. For information, home fees for 2019/20 will be £4,320 UK/EU and £17,620 outside the UK/EU.

To Apply
Candidates wishing to submit an application should prepare and submit the following documentation:

• A statement of no more than 1,000 words describing in detail your interest in and suitability for undertaking this project (see further details below);
• A current CV;
• A transcript of qualifications to date (and anticipated results if you are still studying for your Masters);
• An example of scholarly work up to 5000 words in length (such as a full essay or dissertation chapter);
• 2 academic references.

Deadline
The closing date for receipt of complete applications is 31 July 2019. Applications should be emailed to Anna Pabisz at CCA-PGcomm@glasgow.ac.uk.

Preparing Your Statement
Candidates are required to provide an outline of the research subject proposed (approximately 1000 words). This need not be a final thesis proposal but should include:

• A straightforward, descriptive, and informative title;
• The question that your research will address;
• An account of why this question is important and worth investigating;
• An assessment of how your own research will engage with recent study in the subject;
• A brief account of the methodology and approach you will take;
• A discussion of the primary sources that your research will draw upon, including printed books, manuscripts, archives, libraries, or museums;
• An indicative bibliography of secondary sources that you have already consulted and/or are planning to consult.

Further Information
If you have any questions regarding the PhD, please contact Prof. Christina Young via email at Christina.Young@glasgow.ac.uk.

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First published: 18 February 2019