Tate Director Sir John Rothenstein
Host, Ruth Bowman, interviews former Tate Gallery director, Sir John Rothenstein in this episode of Views on Art.
Sir John Rothenstein served as director of the Tate Gallery in London from 1938 to 1964, the longest directorship to date in the history of the museum. A somewhat controversial figure, Rothenstein nevertheless played a pivotal role in the museum's transition into the 20th century and in the survival of the gallery's collections at the outbreak of World War II.
In this interview, Rothenstein covers the span of his life and career: growing up in a family of artists, meeting his wife at the University of Kentucky at the start of his career, working as Director of the Tate Gallery in London, and serving in his most recent position as Visiting Professor of Art History at Fordham University. Of note are Rothenstein's recollections of meeting the likes of playwright, George Bernard Shaw during a portrait session with his father, and later, of artist, Pablo Picasso.
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