EMPEROR NERO AND THE OTHER FIRE | Five glass collectors and collections of renown with Geoffrey Edwards

This discussion of famous collectors of ancient, antique and modern glass includes commentary on public institutions that became, in time, the ultimate and fortunate repositories of the respective collections. Subjects range from 19th century collector, philanthropist and lawyer, Felix Slade, whose fabulous bequests enriched the British Museum, British Library and Oxford University; to the Ware Collection of ‘Glass Flowers’ at Harvard University’s Museum of Natural History. A famous Melbourne collection also features in the narrative.

GEOFFREY EDWARDS was Director of the Geelong Gallery for fifteen years. In mid-2016, he retired to pursue freelance lecturing, writing and advisory work. Prior to his Geelong Gallery position, Geoffrey held senior curatorial positions at the NGV. His most recent lecture at The Johnston Collection was Giant, Ancient & Historic Trees.

image caption: Abraham Janssens van Nuyssen (Flemish, 1575-1632) Nero (1620)image by Ralf Roletschek, Public Domain