A Family Affair
As the Agnew family has had a close involvement with the Courtauld for many years, we were delighted when Julian Agnew agreed to become Chairman of the Friends of the Courtauld Institute in 2002. His father, Sir Geoffrey Agnew founded the charity in 1969. As Chairman of Thos Agnew & Sons, Ltd., Julian brought a significant degree of knowledge and experience to the role. Julian stepped down as Chairman of the Friends at the end of 2005. The Courtauld would like to thank Julian most warmly for being Treasurer for many years and for steering the Friends for nearly four years. He is not leaving us completely as he will remain a member of the Investment Committee of the Courtauld Institute.

Welcome to new Chairman, LucíaHalpern
The Courtauld extends a warm welcome to Lucía Halpern who was appointed Chairman of the Friends of the Courtauld Institute in Autumn 2005, having served as a member of the Management Committee for two years. Following a successful career with Goldman Sachs in London and New York, she now has a career in private investment and is mother to a toddler son. She participates in the Central Steering Committee for a capital campaign for the University of North Carolina and serves as co-chairman of the fundraising committee for her class at the Harvard Business School.

How to join the Friends
Friends pay an annual subscription which starts at £50, and in return gain free admission with a guest to permanent collections and all our exhibitions, and our programme of talks, tours and events led by Courtauld curators, scholars and graduates. If you would like more information on Friends’ benefits and how to become a Friend today, please complete the enclosed form or contact Pia Rainey on 020 7848 1448, email: friends@courtauld.ac.uk

The Friends support All Spirit and Fire: Oil Sketches of Tiepolo
A new initiative for the Friends is their support for our exhibition All Spirit and Fire: Oil Sketches of Tiepolo. As part of their membership current Friends enjoyed a free talk in the Gallery about the exhibition led by the Curator of Paintings, Dr Caroline Campbell.

The Friends’ support of the exhibition is also encouraging many new members. Chairman Lucía Halpern told us, “I am struck by the way the Friends make a difference to the life and work of the Courtauld, and this year we are thrilled to be supporting the All Spirit and Fire exhibition. Together with the other members of the Friends Management Committee, I am working to create a really vibrant Friends organisation and would love to get many more people involved. In fact, as part of the Friends support of All Spirit and Fire we are delighted that membership has increased by nearly 20% and we hope to continue this excellent start to 2006.”

Second Hand Book Sale
Thanks to the generosity of the staff, former students, and supporters of the Courtauld Institute, CAFS held a very successful second-hand book sale in October last year. Over £7000 was raised in support of the Book Library and travel grants for students. We would particularly like to thank those who have supported us regularly, especially former students, and those who have been closely affiliated with the Institute over many years. We call again for donations of books to this year’s sale, which will be held at the beginning of the Autumn term. Non-art books in good condition are also welcome. You can deliver your books to the Institute from the beginning of September.
Jane Ferguson

American Friends and Alumni
The Courtauld has had strong links with the US for many years – indeed there are over 500 Courtauld alumni based there, the majority of whom work in the visual arts, in museums, commercial galleries or conservation. Last October, after ten years of dedicated service, Barbara Ventresco (PG Dip, Conservation of Easel Painting 1982) officially handed over her responsibilities to for the US charity Somerset House Art History Foundation (SHAHF) to Helen Lee (MA, 1992). The American Friends of the Courtauld is an appointed committee of SHAHF and the Courtauld has been a regular beneficiary since 1985 when the Friends were first set up by Sir Adam Butler, who retired as Chairman of the Samuel Courtauld Trust in 2005.

In October Nick Ferguson, Dr Deborah Swallow and Emma Davidson spent a highly successful week in New York. The week contained many highlights, including a gathering for local alumni and donors at the Knickerbocker Club library hosted by Nick Ferguson, visits to Dr John Elderfield (PhD 1975) and Joachim Pissarro (MPhil 1982) at MOMA, and meetings with a number of New Yorkers with links in the art world.

We held a celebration to thank Barbara Ventresco for her significant contribution. We further thank her for the support that she has given her successor, Helen Lee as she takes over SHAHF and The American Friends of the Courtauld.

We were also left with a lasting impression of a thriving community of alumni, and are delighted that Thea Hashagen (MA 2003) has offered to co-ordinate a new network for younger alumni. Further details.
If you wish to become an American Friend of the Courtauld – and are an American tax-payer, you can make a tax efficient gift to the Courtauld through Somerset House Art History Foundation. Please contact Helen Lee (Executive Director) on (001) 212 874 9696 or email helenlee@courtauld.us for further information.

Emma Davidson
Director of Development