Alasdair
- From: Herefordshire, UK
- Studying: PhD in History of Art (full-time)
- Funding: AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Award
- Supervision: Dr Amanda Lillie (York) and Dr Caroline Campbell (National Gallery, London)
What are your research interests / what are you working on?
"I am currently working on an AHRC funded collaborative PhD with the National Gallery, provisionally entitled “The Architecture of the Annunciation in Italy, 1400-1500."
What has been the most fascinating part of your research so far, and why?
"I have particularly enjoyed the two field trips I have undertaken in Italy. Apart from the obvious pleasures of spending time there, there is absolutely no substitute for seeing the paintings in context, particularly for a project like mine, which revolves around the connections between architecture as painted and built."
How do you find the research facilities at York?
"Although I am based in London, when I have had the chance to use the facilities at York, I have found them to be excellent and the department as a whole to be really supportive and helpful."
What background do you come to your PhD from and what made you choose your research area?
"I did an MA at Warwick, as part of which I wrote my dissertation on the “The Removal of the Body of St Mark” by the Venetian painter Tintoretto. I was especially interested in the architecture within the work, and so I was really pleased to be offered the opportunity to further investigate the ideas I had begun to explore as part of a longer project."
Why York rather than somewhere else?
"I didn’t chose York, so much as York chose me as part of this collaborative PhD, but I am very glad to have ended up there."
Do you have an idea of how you’ll use your PhD/plans for the future?
"Not at present, although the work I am doing in the National Gallery on an exhibition has made me very interested in pursuing a curatorial career."
What would your dream job be?
"Tour guide and bar owner."
