In this section of the catalogue works are organised by theme, period or subject matter, as a resource for curators, programmers and researchers.
The lists are not programmes, nor are they exhaustive - they are designed simply to be a convenient starting point for those wishing to research topics rather than particular artists. For example, in some cases all of an artist's works will relate to a theme, but in general no more than one or two of the most relevant works by each artist are listed, so the thematic lists should be used in conjuntion with the complete listings of artists' works in the alphabetical section. Most works relate to more than one theme and the lists should be regarded merely as an aid to navigating the collection, rather than seeking to define or pigeonhole particular works.
Themes have been defined broadly, and each contains suggested links to other themes which may overlap. This is only the beginning of a wider project to make the catalogue more accessible and we will continue to add more themes and works to the thematic section, so we would welcome any feedback on how they might be developed in the future. For more advice on works relating to particular themes, please contact us with details of the area you are researching.