Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Curatorial Fellow, Painting and Sculpture of Europe – Dutch and Flemish Paintings Collection Catalogue
The Art Institute of Chicago shares its singular collections with our city and the world. We collect, care for, and interpret works of art across time, cultures, geographies, and identities, centering the vision of artists and makers. We recognize that all art is made in a particular context, demanding continual, dynamic reconsideration in the present. We are a place of gathering; we foster the exchange of ideas and inspire an expansive, inclusive understanding of human creativity. We offer a competitive, comprehensive benefits package:
- Generous paid time off
- Paid holidays (up to 14 days)
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- Generous parental, caregiver, and medical leave benefits
- Competitive retirement plan (up to 9% matching contribution)
- Tuition remission and Tuition Exchange Program
- Great employee discounts
- Complimentary general admission to participating cultural institutions
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Department of Painting and Sculpture of Europe oversees a collection, considered one of the finest in the world, that comprises more than 4,000 works dating from the 12th through the late 19th century. Among the highlights are important Old Master paintings, including a rare group of 15th-century Spanish, Italian, and Northern European paintings; 17th- and 18th-century paintings from most European nations; and El Greco’s most renowned painting in the United States, Assumption of the Virgin. The collection is renowned worldwide for its extensive and outstanding holdings of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works. The more than 600 paintings, sculptures, and works on paper in this area feature dozens by Caillebotte, Degas, Monet, Manet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Rodin, as well as the iconic painting by Georges Seurat, A Sunday on La Grande Jatte—1884.
Painting and Sculpture of Europe seeks a 2024-27 Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation Fellow to assist with researching the collection of 17th-century Dutch and Flemish paintings for an online collection catalogue. This three-year fellowship builds upon Painting and Sculpture of Europe’s record of in-depth digital collection publications, such as Gauguin: Paintings, Sculptures, and Graphic Works at the Art Institute of Chicago (2016) and Monet: Paintings and Drawings at the Art Institute of Chicago (2014), thereby augmenting the museum’s impressive roster of digital catalogues and ensuring worldwide access to new research. Although several paintings from this group were part of the museum’s founding purchase in 1890, the 17th-century Dutch and Flemish collection has never been extensively studied, and technical and stylistic research will generate new discoveries about these foundational works. The artists identified for this project include Rembrandt van Rijn, Peter Paul Rubens, Jan Steen, Frans Hals, Jacob van Ruisdael, and David Teniers the Younger, among others.
The fellow will work collaboratively with the curator overseeing the collection of Northern European art to explore issues of connoisseurship, provenance, and material history, according to the latest methodologies. The fellow will gather exhibition and publication histories, assist with technical investigations in the lab, liaise with outside scholars and institutions, and participate as a thought partner in the framing of questions for each work in the catalogue.
While the fellow’s home base will be the curatorial department of Painting and Sculpture of Europe, fellowship activities will be performed in collaboration with many other departments at the museum, including Academic Engagement and Research, Archives, Conservation and Science, Imaging, Publishing, Digital Experience, and the Ryan Learning Center.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Candidates should possess a Master’s degree or higher in art history, or a closely related field, with a strong research focus on the history of Northern European art. The ideal candidate would bring a high level of expertise with the history of 17th-century Dutch and Flemish painting; reading and written knowledge of Dutch and German; experience working in or with museums; and a strong research record, as well as excellent writing skills, outstanding interpersonal communication, and the ability to collaborate with curiosity and open-mindedness.
Candidates should submit a CV, a cover letter detailing the candidate’s interest in applying for the fellowship and the skill set(s) the candidate would bring to the position, and a document listing the names of at least three references. Upon invitation to interview, further supporting materials (such as writing samples) may be requested. Attachments should be collated into a single PDF document and uploaded as one file.
The fellowship will begin in September 2024 and will run through the end of summer 2027. To ensure the fullest possible consideration, applications should be submitted by April 8, 2024. They will be considered on a rolling basis until the post is filled.
For more information, and to apply, please click here.