“There’s something in the V&A for everybody – that is what I’d like everybody to know”
Dame Elizabeth Esteve-Coll
We were very saddened to learn of the recent loss of Dame Elizabeth Esteve-Coll. Dame Elizabeth was Director of the V&A 1987 to 1995, following a successful period as Head of the National Art Library.
Dame Elizabeth first joined the V&A as a librarian and was Keeper of the National Art Library (NAL). She undertook the modernisation and professionalisation of the NAL in a number of ways, including the digitization of the National Art Library card catalogue system and encouraging and supporting staff to obtain library qualifications, with funding and release time. She brought her interest and knowledge of artists’ books into the workings of the library, championing the work of British artist publishers including Ron King’s Circle Press. A statuette by Paolozzi of her, is on permanent display in the Reading Room, as a tribute to her time leading the NAL.
From this, Dame Elizabeth rose to become the first female Director of the V&A Museum, following on from Sir Roy Strong. Seeking to transform the culture and approach of the curatorial body, she is well documented for the structural changes to the museum during the beginning of her tenure. As part of her ambition to open up the museum to wider audiences and shed some of its cliquish, inward-looking reputation, Dame Elizabeth also embarked upon an advertising campaign with Saatchi & Saatchi which upset more traditional constituencies. Within the museum, as someone who had personally benefited from further education later in life, one of her highest priorities was to improve the education service, believing that the collections could be made relevant to everyone. She launched both a new Research Department and Education Department, which embraced schools, adult and community education. Today, the V&A’s national learning program continues at great pace and breadth from early years to teens to adults.
During her time major transformations were also made to new ‘Art and Design’ galleries, with the opening of the Nehru Gallery of Indian Art (1990), the TT Tsui Gallery of Chinese Art (1991), the Samsung Gallery of Korean Art (1992) and a Twentieth Century Gallery that incorporated the material in the existing British 1900 – 1960 Gallery into a thematic international treatment (1992). The ‘Materials and Techniques’ galleries also began to be overhauled. The Glass Gallery was completed in 1994 and work started on the Ironwork and Silverwork galleries.
In 1991, Dame Elizabeth was interviewed by Sue Lawley on the BBC’s Desert Island Discs. Sue Lawley asks her: “If there was one sentence that could sum up what you achieved in your ten year tenure, what would it be?” Dame Elizabeth replies, “To make the V&A much more part of the national subconscious. To get it into the nation’s bloodstream. That it was a real and very living, very important part of our culture. It wasn’t elitist. It wasn’t something that was only for the art historian. There’s something in the V&A for everybody – that is what I’d like everybody to know.” This ethos stills runs in our culture today.
Dame Elizabeth read enormous amounts of Spanish and French literature and taught herself Italian. Her personal passions – a love of T.S Eliot, Bach and her English sheepdog would take up some of her personal time. On leaving the V&A, she became Vice-Chancellor of the University of East Anglia, but sadly ill-health brough her tenure in Norwich to an early end. A friend recalls of her recent years, ‘After leaving South Ken she retained her keen interest in the V&A and her warm support for its continuing work to bring art to all.’ And remembers her as, ‘very special. Her energy and determination were matched by a dry sense of humour, and an elegant personal style.’
The V&A wishes to acknowledge Dame Elizabeth’s great service to South Kensington, and extends its deepest condolences to her friends and family.
I had the pleasure to work closely with Elizabeth in both of her roles within the V & A as her head of human resources. The current Director’s tribute is highly appropriate. She achieved a great deal. Her legacy as outlined by the Director greatly outweighs the storm caused by the much needed restructure which has made the Museum the much better place it is today. She was clear minded, resolute, kind and a lovely individual. Rest in peace Elizabeth.
I had the privilege of being one of the many ‘children’ she encouraged. She also read at my wedding.
As a founder and trustee of the International Trust for Croatian Monuments I first met Dame Elizabeth in 1992. I wrote to her and asked if I could come to see her. I arrived with photographs of damage “before'” shelling and “after” the shelling of the war in Croatia at the time. With Dame Elizabeth there were heads of all the conservation departments in the V&A Museum. They could not believe the “before” and “after” images. Among the heads of the departments there was also Drew Anderson, representing the Stained Glass Department in the V&A.
As a result, Drew Anderson travelled three times to Osijek, eastern Croatia, the city which had suffered terrible damage in the War. Their 19th century Cathedral of Sts Peter and Paul had lost or had damage on all 42 stained glass windows except for one. Dame Elizabeth helped us to establish a stained glass workshop, Theodora, which still works today and is the only one in Croatia. Under Drew’s guidance, the Croatian conservators came to England and spent three weeks here, working in studios like Goddard’s, and visiting important English cathedrals.
Apart from that, with Dame Elizabeth help and with Drew’s guidance, I visited here in London
The Stained Glass Depository where we obtained eight large stained glass windows for a church in Beli Manastir, near Osijek. When I visited this church earlier, there were just the walls standing, nothing else. A very sorry sight.
We shall never forget the kindness and help given to Croatia in her hour of need by Dame Elizabeth Esteve Coll. RIP
She inspired me to make a career in the museum sector. I admired her courage and sense of adventure.
An incredible, inspiring and dynamic individual. I had the pleasure of working under EEC at Kingston Polytechnic and later on some publishing projects for ADAR. She always offered wisdom and support and kept in touch for many years.