Every object in the Ashmolean has passed from hand to hand to reach the Museum. In a new podcast, we uncover the invisible fingerprints left behind by makers, looters, archaeologists, soldiers, rulers, curators, and many more. These stories of touch reveal the ways in which the forces of conflict and colonialism have shaped Britain’s oldest Museum. Join the Ashmolean’s curators alongside artists, experts, and community members, for our new podcast: Fingerprints. Fingerprints will be released on ...
Dec 21, 2021•2 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Join Mallica Kumbera Landrus, the Keeper of Eastern Art, as she introduces us to a tiny drawing made by a child genius. This scrap of paper tells a story of cultures embracing each other across vast distances and the curiosity of one exceptional 13 year old boy in Mughal India, 421 years ago. Christ on the Cross, Albrecht Dürer, 1511 - Find out more Saint John the Evangelist, Abu l'-Hasan, 1600–1601 - Find out more If you want to take a closer look at the objects in this episode, you can view th...
May 28, 2021•14 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Join curator Matthew Winterbottom as he explores ancient beliefs about disease testing and vaccines, through the Ashmolean’s collection of toadstone rings. These bizarre pieces of jewellery have a lot to tell us about the human effort to find hope in the face of illness and uncertainty, even when it involves the strangest superstitions. And at the end of the day, it turns out that toadstones have nothing to do with toads after all… Charm ring with toadstone – Find out more Gold and toadstone rin...
May 21, 2021•8 min•Season 2Ep. 9
In this episode we take a look at an understated little painting by the artist Gwen John, which hides complex depths. Gwen was one of the greatest and least known artists of the 20th century, who lived a life according to her own rules – literally. Her memos to herself are a guidebook for finding joy in solitude, and living largely and deeply on your own terms. The Convalescent, by Gwen John – Find out more If you want to take a closer look at painting in this episode, you can view it at the lin...
May 14, 2021•10 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Join teaching curator Jim Harris as he peers inside a tiny tortoiseshell box. The little box holds a secret portrait of a woman, with a lock of her hair. The tiny empty space inside is stuffed with hidden stories, about wealth and the often ugly means of making it. This polite and pretty little box has so much us to tell us about memory. Portrait of Sophie Schutz in a tortoiseshell box – Find out more If you want to take a closer look at artwork in this episode, you can view it at the link above...
May 07, 2021•17 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Join An Van Camp, the Assistant Keeper of Northern European Art, as she lifts the lid on some strange boxes in the Museum's stores. Some contain witches, others devils, others letters of the alphabet wrapped in pink ribbons. They all belonged to the same man – the eccentric Francis Douce. Dürer drawing of two witches – Find out more Portrait of Francis Douce – Find out more If you want to take a closer look at artworks relating to this episode, you can view them at the links above, or visit the ...
Apr 30, 2021•14 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Join Clare Pollard, the Curator of Japanese Art, as she gives us a tour of Japan’s first skyscraper, through a vibrant and intriguing print, with some hidden surprises. It tells a story of a turning point in Japanese history, and also doubles as a board game. Ryōunkaku Tower Game – Find out more If you want to take a closer look at the woodblock print in this episode, you can view it at the link above, or visit the podcast page on the Ashmolean website: ashmolean.org/museum-secrets Producer: Luc...
Apr 23, 2021•13 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Meet Naunakhte, an Ancient Egyptian mother who has a bone to pick. There are only a handful of surviving records of the voices of Ancient Egyptian women, and here in the Ashmolean, we have one of them. Her last will and testament reveals a story of a family argument which still sounds familiar over three millennia later. Naunakhte's will – Find out more If you want to find out more about the object in this episode, you can read more on Wikipedia at the link above, or to take a closer look at it ...
Apr 16, 2021•8 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Lockdown is slowly lifting, and this week, the pubs will be opening outdoors again in Oxford. To get us in the right frame of mind, curator Matthew Winterbottom takes us on a tour of historical drinking games in the Ashmolean. We meet a windmill in the silver gallery, with more to it than meets the eye. Cup in the form of a windmill – View it here Cup in the form of an owl – View it here Cup in the form of a bear – View it here Cup in the form of a stag – View it here If you want to take a close...
Apr 09, 2021•7 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Lots of objects in the Ashmolean have got secrets hidden under their surface. Join the Ashmolean’s Conservation Research Fellow and colour detective Tea Ghigo, as she looks at a special bookcase with a suspicious shade of turquoise on it. Armed with an X-ray spectrometer and an infrared camera, she’s managed to find something strange lurking beneath the blue. When Tea looks at this bookcase, she sees a Venetian carnival and smells citrus fruits. What about you? The Great Bookcase – View it here ...
Apr 02, 2021•13 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Spring is in the air, and families of ducks are out in force in Oxford. Paul Collins, the Ashmolean Museum's Jaleh Hearn Curator of the Ancient Near East, introduces us to ancient duck with a cheerful story to tell. From the ducks of the time of the pharaohs to the ducks of today, Paul explores this timeless symbol of better times to come. Box in the form of a duck – View it here If you want to take a closer look at the object in this episode, you can view it at the link above, or visit the podc...
Mar 26, 2021•10 min•Season 2Ep. 1
It's been a really hard first few months to 2021, so here at the Ashmolean, we've been putting together another series of Museum Secrets to cheer us all up. Join Lucie Dawkins for more bite-sized adventures behind the locked doors at the Museum. We'll be finding tales of hope, cheer and reflection, just long enough to enjoy over a cup of tea. Every week, we'll be bringing you stories about a jaunty duck, historical drinking games, one of the world's first skyscrapers, an ancient Egyptian mum wit...
Mar 25, 2021•1 min
Shelagh Vainker, the Curator of Chinese Art, introduces us to Miao Jiahui, the ‘ghost painter’ of the Chinese Empress Dowager. The Ashmolean holds a rare painting of some peonies, in which she came out of the shadows by signing her name as the artist. Peonies by Miao Jiahui – View it here If you want to take a closer look at the painting discussed in this episode, you can view it at the link above, or visit the podcast page on the Ashmolean website: ashmolean.org/museum-secrets Producer: Lucie D...
Jan 15, 2021•7 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Catherine Whistler, Keeper of the Western Art Department, introduces us to Titian’s Triumph of Love, an amusing painting which hides a secret: it was once the cover of a portrait of one of the most formidable women in Venice. Titian’s Triumph of Love – View it here If you want to take a closer look at Titian’s Triumph of Love, you can view it at the link above, or visit the podcast page on the Ashmolean website: ashmolean.org/museum-secrets Producer: Lucie Dawkins Presenters: Lucie Dawkins and C...
Jan 14, 2021•10 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Podcast host Lucie Dawkins takes a look at John Singer Sargent’s drawing of Vernon Lee in the Ashmolean Collection. Vernon was a genderqueer trailblazer who invented the word ‘empathy’ in the English language. Portrait of Vernon Lee – View it here If you want to take a closer look at John Singer Sargent’s drawing of Vernon Lee, you can view it at the link above, or visit the podcast page on the Ashmolean website: ashmolean.org/museum-secrets Producer and Presenter: Lucie Dawkins About Museum Sec...
Jan 13, 2021•8 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Jim Harris, Andrew W Mellon Teaching Curator at the Ashmolean, tells us the story of a silver teapot hiding a rude joke underneath it. Please be advised in advance that this episode contains an expletive. Silver Teapot – View it here If you want to take a closer look at the silver teapot discussed in this episode, you can view it at the link above, or visit the podcast page on the Ashmolean website: ashmolean.org/museum-secrets Producer: Lucie Dawkins Presenters: Lucie Dawkins and Jim Harris Abo...
Jan 12, 2021•13 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Aisha Burtenshaw, Head of Registrars and Exhibitions, takes us on a trip around the world with objects from the Ashmolean Museum. Producer: Lucie Dawkins Presenters: Lucie Dawkins and Aisha Burtenshaw About Museum Secrets: The curators at the University of Oxford's Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology have been recording bite-sized tales of the wonderful, and sometimes unexpected, life of a museum. We can’t wait to share them with you! Join us every weekday for 3 weeks, from 28 December onwar...
Jan 11, 2021•9 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Francesca Leoni, the Ashmolean’s Curator of Islamic Art, tells the story of an up-cycled Cretan wedding dress which found its way to the UK as a cushion cover. Cretan Cushion Cover – View it here If you want to take a closer look at the cushion cover discussed in this episode, you can view it at the link above, or visit the podcast page on the Ashmolean website: ashmolean.org/museum-secrets Producer: Lucie Dawkins Presenters: Lucie Dawkins and Francesca Leoni About Museum Secrets: The curators a...
Jan 08, 2021•9 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Textiles Conservator Sue Stanton reveals a green and gold Turkish wedding gown, which she uncovered deep in the storerooms of the Ashmolean. It contains a story of the dangers of too much light. Wedding Gown – View it here Conservation at the Ashmolean – Read more If you want to take a closer look at the wedding gown discussed in this episode, you can view it at the link above, or visit the podcast page on the Ashmolean website: ashmolean.org/museum-secrets Producer: Lucie Dawkins Presenters: Lu...
Jan 07, 2021•7 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Clare Pollard, Curator of Japanese Art, introduces us to a beautifully broken Japanese plate, and Head of Conservation, Daniel Bone, takes us inside the conservation labs and tells us about the art of caring for the beautiful and the broken objects in the collection. Japanese Plate – View it here Conservation at the Ashmolean – Read more If you want to take a closer look at the plate Clare talks about in this episode, you can view it at the link above, or visit the podcast page on the Ashmolean ...
Jan 06, 2021•9 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Alison Pollard, Lecturer at Oxford University, takes us to meet a very special marble table in the Ashmolean’s Arundel Collection, which was repurposed as a tombstone for a beloved pug dog. Doug the Pug – View Alison’s photograph of Doug Table top – View it here Table legs – View it here Henrietta Louisa Fermor – View a portrait / Read about her If you want to take a closer look at the sculptures in this episode, you can view them at the links above, or visit the podcast page on the Ashmolean we...
Jan 05, 2021•7 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Podcast host Lucie Dawkins takes us to meet a Tang Dynasty Camel, who came to Oxford in the suitcase of a Jewish refugee Paul Jacobsthal. Tang Dynasty Camel – View it here If you want to take a closer look at the camel discussed in this episode, you can view it at the link above, or visit the podcast page on the Ashmolean website: ashmolean.org/museum-secrets Producer and Presenter: Lucie Dawkins About Museum Secrets: The curators at the University of Oxford's Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeo...
Jan 04, 2021•10 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Lena Fritsch, the Ashmolean Museum’s Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, shares a story about the colourful prints of Peter Hedegaard. In them, she found a hidden connection with her own father, and a secret story about love and friendship that crosses borders. To see these prints for your yourself, please visit the podcast page on the Ashmolean website: ashmolean.org/museum-secrets Producer: Lucie Dawkins Presenters: Lucie Dawkins and Lena Fritsch About Museum Secrets: The curators at the U...
Jan 01, 2021•10 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Shailendra Bhandare shares some very special coins with one of the first images of Buddha as a future saviour. He reflects on the way that humans have always been eager to imagine saviour figures, to help us find hope in dark times. Shailendra is Curator of South Asian and Far Eastern Coins at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. If you want to take a closer look at the coins discussed in this episode, please visit the podcast page on the Ashmolean website: ashmolean.org/museum-secrets Producer: Luci...
Dec 31, 2020•10 min•Season 1Ep. 4
In this episode, host Lucie Dawkins reveals the Ancient Greek art of styling pubic hair, and why it gives us important clues to understanding ancient sculptures. 1. Cast of the Terme Boxer – View this online 2. Cast of Apollo – View this online 3. Painted cast of Augustus – View this online 4. The Metropolitan Museum kouros – Find out more 5. Cast of the Kritios Boy – View this online If you want to take a closer look at the sculptures in this episode, you can find them at the links above, or vi...
Dec 30, 2020•9 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Jim Harris joins host Lucie Dawkins to talk about detachable genitalia in the Cast Gallery at the Ashmolean Museum, and the history of prudishness in ancient art. Jim Harris is the Andrew W Mellon Teaching Curator at the Ashmolean. Cast of the Laocoön group – View this online If you want to take a closer look at the Laocoön cast Jim discusses in this episode, you can view it at the link above, or visit the podcast page on the Ashmolean website: ashmolean.org/museum-secrets Producer: Lucie Dawkin...
Dec 29, 2020•11 min•Season 1Ep. 2
The Director of the University of Oxford's Ashmolean Museum, Xa Sturgis, takes a walk around the museum's Still Life Gallery, pondering over time and asparagus. Still Life of Fruit and Flowers, Clara Peeters – View the painting Still Life of Asparagus, Adriaen S. Coorte – View the painting If you want to take a closer look at the paintings he discusses in this episode, you can view them at the links above, or visit the podcast page on the Ashmolean website: ashmolean.org/museum-secrets Producer:...
Dec 28, 2020•7 min•Season 1Ep. 1
The curators at the University of Oxford's Ashmolean Museum have been recording bite-sized tales of the wonderful, and sometimes unexpected, life of a museum, and we can’t wait to share them with you! Join us every weekday for 3 weeks, from 28 December 2020 , for a daily dose of cheer. Museum Secrets is produced and presented by Lucie Dawkins. Support the show
Dec 18, 2020•2 min
