Illuminating Objects

A series of small displays focused around one object, the point of Illuminating Objects is to dust off (sometimes quite literally!) these wonderful, unexpected and largely unknown objects. Each object will remain on display for three months.

The next display will be hosted at the Science Museum from 5 June 2019. Katrina Brain, a master’s student in Science Communication at Imperial College London, will present her research on a 17th century ivory marriage casket that has not been on display in over 25 years.

painted ivory casket — Painted ivory marriage casket, 17th century 2nd half, Germany 17th century (1600 – 1699)© The Samuel Courtauld Trust, The Courtauld Gallery, London

Illuminating Objects is delivered in partnership with interns from disciplines outside of the History of Art. Their disciplinary backgrounds have included anthropology, theology and the sciences. Partnership institutions are SOAS, King’s College London, the University of Kent in Canterbury, Imperial College and University College London. Illuminating Objects has been running since 2012.

One of the challenges for the Illuminating Objects Interns is to communicate their research in the Gallery and through the possibilities offered by the website and other digital channels.

Find out more about the objects.

Illuminating Objects is proudly supported by McQueens Flowers Ltd