The Private Lives of Paintings

We are proud to present The Private Lives of Paintings as part of Oxford’s annual Meeting Minds alumni weekend.

While a painting is often judged by who painted it, or what the subject matter is, there are often other, hidden, stories that contribute to both its art historical and commercial value. Every work of art has provenance, a private life that tells of the people who have owned it and loved it, the museums and galleries where it has hung, and the moments of history it has witnessed. These adventures through time and place are often as important in telling the complete story of a work of art as the physical painting itself.

Join Stephen Jones, Vice President, Editor and Head of Research for Post-War and Contemporary Art at Christie’s auction house in New York, and Lucy Speelman, Associate Specialist in the Old Master Paintings Department at Christie’s auction house in London and Head of its biannual Old Masters to Modern Day Sales, to learn about the stories behind some of the most famous works in recent art history.

Speakers:

• Stephen Jones is Vice President, Editor and Head of Research for Post-War and Contemporary Art at Christie’s auction house in New York.
• Lucy Speelman is an Associate Specialist in the Old Master Paintings department at Christie’s in London, and Head of their biannual Old Masters to Modern Day Sales.

Please visit the Meeting Minds 2026 website to view more events taking place.

Open to University of Oxford alumni and members of Kellogg College.