This website is dedicated to the artwork and life of John Norman Sunderland (1942-2018); Witt Librarian, Courtauld Institute (1966-2002)

Early life

John was born in Shepperton, Middlesex, in 1942, and grew up in nearby Weybridge. After studying history at Oxford University, John completed a two-year postgraduate diploma in the History of Art at the Courtauld Institute, London.

He taught at Walthamstow College of Art before returning to the Courtauld in 1966, where Sir Anthony Blunt, then Director, made him Witt Librarian - a post John held until his retirement in 2002.

Witt Librarian

The Witt Library is an essential resource for the study of art history and the collection today contains approximately two million reproductions of works by 70,000 artists. Much of its success now reflects the tireless and dedicated work John put in as Librarian over many years.

Among other achievements, he oversaw the Witt’s relocation from Portman Square to Somerset House in 1989 and masterminded the publication of two editions of the Checklist of Painters represented in the Witt Library (1978 and 1994).

An early convert to digital technology, John helped steer the Courtauld into the computer age. With colleagues, he created the pioneering Witt Library Computer Index (1981-1996), which gave database access to artworks from the British and American schools. He was also Managing Editor of the journal CHArt (Computers and the History of Art).

Publications

John specialised in 18th-century British Art, teaching and publishing on it throughout his career. His books include Constable (Phaidon, 1971, second edition 1981) (still in print); Painting in Britain 1525-1975 (Phaidon, 1976); and John Hamilton Mortimer: His Life and Works (Walpole Society, 1988).

Paul Mellon Centre

The Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art is an educational charity that facilitates research into the history of British art and architecture. The organisation is known for supporting original, world-class research and today it hosts some of John’s research papers, mostly pertaining to his work on John Hamilton Mortimer. A link to his archive - which is available to the public - can be found here: http://www.calmview2.eu/PaulMellonCentre/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=JNS

Amateur art

John was a gifted artist who specialised in watercolours. He painted throughout his life, often creating watercolour landscapes whilst on family holidays, but he also experimented with oils, sketches, still lifes and portraits.

Family life

John is survived by his three children Tom, Mary and David, and wife Clare, who wish to make some of the artwork that John painted in his lifetime available for public viewing.

Dedication

As family we feel that this website is a fitting tribute and appropriate reflection of John’s life and work as a loving husband and father, as the Witt Librarian, as a successful author on art history, and as an enthusiastic talented amateur painter. We hope that you enjoy the display.

If you would like to enquire about any of the paintings on this website or other artwork by John Sunderland, please contact email

tomsunderland369 at (@) gmail.com