Posts by venue: Collections & Objects

Hieroglyphic conundrum

I have a great challenge for any hieroglyphic readers out there… Two years ago I did some work on the coffins of Irtyru, one of the Great North Museum: Hancock mummies using infra-red photography (with the help of my colleague,… Read more

Preparations for a new permanent gallery at Discovery Museum

Discovery Museum was recently awarded a grant from the government and The Wolfson Foundation charity to refurbish one of our permanent galleries. It was the second highest award given out across the country! Find out more here   Preparing for… Read more

Pilgrim Street and the Newe House

The other day I was stood at the bus stop in Pilgrim Street, in front of the old Odeon, when the Number 1 bus to Slatyford suddenly transformed into a hay wain pulled by four oxen and two horses… Well,… Read more

Better than JMW Turner? Thomas Girtin’s ‘Morpeth Bridge’ watercolour

Was Girtin a better watercolourist than JMW Turner? Turner himself seemed to say so – after his friend’s early death, Turner remarked, If Tom Girtin had lived, I should have starved. He was exaggerating wildly, of course, but Turner’s words… Read more

‘The Lamentation’: A Winning Formula

Sometimes if you find a winning formula, there seems little point in changing it. This could be said for certain painting compositions, some of which have been used by artists for hundreds of years. Michelangelo’s Pieta, for example, was so popular… Read more