John's Pics

1. What is your role at Bridgeman?

I am the account manager for the UK’s leading book publishers, many of whom have worked with Bridgeman for a long time.

My responsibilities include negotiating contracts with publishing houses, showcasing the collections we represent to picture researchers, sourcing and supplying imagery for their numerous projects, and getting images approved and copyrights cleared in time for publication.

2. What do you love most about the job? 

The variety of things you learn from supplying content for the broad range of subjects that book publishers work on. One minute you can be supplying imagery for a project on the Egyptians and the next the treasures of the Renaissance. This often leads you to unusual items in the archive and to discover interesting stories about the artworks and their creators. It’s also great to see the creative ways designers re-image artworks in our collection to create engaging book covers for their titles.

3. What misconceptions do clients most commonly have about the archive?

The variety of content we now represent, including a large number of contemporary works, which we not only license but clear copyright on as well.

The recent launch of commissioning artwork for clients is also an exciting new direction for Bridgeman.

1. Artefact from Mari

This Syrian statue of a man praying is from the 3rd millennium BC and I often find myself seeking it out to enjoy the guilty expression on his face. I like to think its creator had a sense of humour and purposefully made him look a bit contrite.

He’s clearly done something wrong, for which he is seeking redemption!

2. Wolf Mosaic

Another image which never fails to raise a smile is this Roman mosaic from Aldborough in Yorkshire that shows the scene of the she-wolf with Romulus and Remus.

Not a beast to be feared but the cheeriest wolf you’re ever likely to see!

3. Christopher Richard Wynne Nevinson

We’re lucky enough to represent the CRW Nevinson estate and this is my favourite of his many artworks from the First World War. The original painting is in colour but I like this pen and ink version for the stark contrast of black and white. The harsh angles fill the page and it’s difficult to distinguish between man and machine. It’s uncompromisingly bold and aggressive, and perfectly conveys the mechanisation of war.

4. Emil Parrag

Emil Parrag is one of the contemporary artists we represent and I love this piece for its bright colours and playful nature. The way the sun radiates out across the sky reminds me of a hot summer day.

I am thinking about putting it on my wall at home, if only Bridgeman had a partner to facilitate such a thing…(www.art.com)

5. Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn

Of the many self-portraits Rembrandt painted over his lifetime it is his ‘Self-portrait as Zeuxis laughing’ from his later years that I’m drawn to.

Having been painted after he’d fallen on hard times and as his popularity as an artist was on the wane, much has been written on the message of the painting, the shadowy figure lurking in the background, and at what he might be laughing at.

I like its rich texture and the use of light that give his features honesty and tell of a life well lived. His engaging gaze gives the sense that it is he that is looking at us.

6. Houston, we've got a problem

Probably the second most famous phrase ever spoken in space, this clip from a documentary on the Apollo 13 space mission is fascinating.

The matter of fact way the astronauts report back to mission control and their calm delivery when faced with impending catastrophe is astonishing.

It’s hard to believe these remarkable missions took place over 40 years ago. Inspiring stuff when you consider the technology that was available to them.