Online Courses Team
Jacqui Ansell
Biography
Jacqui read Art History and Theory at Essex University and gained an MA in History of Dress from the Courtauld Institute. Formerly an Education Officer at the National Gallery, London, and a tutor and writer for the Open University, she has a wide range of teaching experience. She has lectured regularly on the public programmes of the National Gallery, National Gallery and Wallace Collection, and is an accredited Art Society Lecturer, with specialism in art and dress history. Publications and research interests include Court dress, Grand Tour portraiture, the National Gallery’s collection, and the links between furniture and fashion.
Research Interests
Dress on the Grand Tour (with particular reference to Batoni)
The Dress, Etiquette and Procedures at the English Court (17th-20th Centuries)
British Travellers' Accounts of Wales (1650-1950)
The Origins and Development of Welsh Costume (and historical perceptions)
Teaching
Publications
Conference Papers
Research Interests
The National Gallery’s History and CollectionDress on the Grand Tour (with particular reference to Batoni)
The Dress, Etiquette and Procedures at the English Court (17th-20th Centuries)
British Travellers' Accounts of Wales (1650-1950)
The Origins and Development of Welsh Costume (and historical perceptions)
Teaching
Jacqui has previously taught on the Art, Style and Design MLitt in History of Art and Art-world Practice since 2008 (with particular responsibility for the undergraduates) and also contributes to the short course programme at Christie’s Education. She has been an Associate Lecturer with the Open University since 1992 teaching multi-disciplinary distance-learning courses on ‘The Enlightenment’, Arts Foundation Courses and ‘Art and Its Histories’ and writing material for a course on ‘Heritage’.Publications
2010 - ‘Welsh National Dress’ in Understanding Global Heritage (OU 2010) ed. Susie West
2011-2009 – National Gallery podcasts: Rubens (episode 60), Mignard (episode 48) Rubens (episode 39), Fragonard (episode 35), Reynolds (episode 31) Van Dyck (episode 22)
2008 – Batoni – Decoding Dress (with Jeremy Black) National Gallery podcast, episode 17
2008 – Specialist contributor on dress – National Gallery Batoni exhibitionDVD
2007 – Dress and Cultural Identity for Open University DVD (undergrad Sociology course)
2000-2002 – Author of distance-learning modules (B.A. level validated by Middlesex University)
‘Key Issues in C20th & C21st Art’, ‘Research Methodologies’
1997 – Co-author Teacher’s Pack Water – National Gallery Publications
1994 publication ‘Passing Judgements – Welsh Dress and the English Tourist’ in Folk Life the Journal of Ethnological Studies (Vol 33 1994-5) (as Jacqueline Lewis)
1992 – Research/editorial (and Radio Interview) for Underwear by Alison Carter (B.T. Batsford)
1992-4 – 10,000 word report on gloves styles 1800-1960 for The Worshipful Company of Glovers
1992 – Researched Christmas Customs 1680-1880 – Court Dress Collection for Kensington Palace
1991-2 – 30,000 words on Court Dress, Etiquette, Procedures 1740-1880 for Kensington Palace
ORGANISATION OF STUDENT STUDY DAYS (NATIONAL GALLERY 2009-2010)
‘Re-Reading the Renaissance – Vasari and his Legacy’,
‘New Art for Old – Picasso and the Masters’
‘Enfolded Meanings: Cloth, Body, Culture: ART’ (Alison Watt)
‘The Sacred Made Real: C17th Spanish Sculpture’
‘Detritus: Kienholz and the Hoerengracht’
‘Picturing the Past to Suit the Present: Delaroche’s Lady Jane Grey
(organised conferences at Courtauld Institute on ‘Working Dress’, ‘Dress and Gender’, Dress and National Identity’, ‘Court Culture’ and co-organised ‘Dress on Display’ at V&A for Courtauld History of Dress Association)
Project Co-ordinator for Wimbledon School of Art Costume Parades held at National Gallery 1997-2008
Selected Recent Specialist Lectures
(apart from public lectures at National Gallery and NPG once a month across whole collection)
‘Fashioning Identities: Clothing the Renaissance Body’ – Trinity College, Cambridge
‘The Politics of Dress’ (with Yinka Shonibare’s costume maker) National Gallery
‘Fashioning the Complete Gentleman: Clothing, Conduct and the Grand Tour’ National Gallery
‘Pins and Poking Sticks: Dress in Shakespeare’s Time’ London Jewish Cultural Centre
‘Clothing and Culture in the C18th’ National Portrait Gallery
‘Dressing up for Stage or Studio - The First Actresses’ Inscape
‘Modern Minervas: C18th Women artists in a man’s world’ London Jewish Cultural Centre
‘Leonardo: The Man, the Myths and Milan Court Culture’ (numerous NADFAS groups, National Gallery)
Conference Papers
2007 – OU Conference ‘Colliding Cultures’ ‘’A Foreign County Within our Own’: Welsh Dress & the English Traveller’
1998 – British Society for C18th Studies (Co-Conference Organiser and Paper) ‘Courting Disaster: Dressed for Success at the C18th English Court’
1997 – Society for Court Studies (published in their journal) ‘How Girls are Presented at Court: Court Presentation in the 1870s (also presented as paper for Victorian Society, and Courtauld History of Dress Association)