Ashmolean Museum appoints Keeper of Western Art

Dr John Chu is currently Senior Curator at the National Trust, where he is responsible for fine art collections nationwide – a vast portfolio spanning medieval panel painting to modernist kinetic art. Over his ten years at the Trust, he has organised comprehensive rehangs at historic houses and curated high-profile public programmes linked to major acquisitions and conservation initiatives.

A specialist in 18th-century European art, he publishes, lectures, and broadcasts internationally on the subject. His recent research has focused on the transition of 20th-century private collections of modern art into today’s national heritage. Prior to the Trust, he worked in the Research Department at Tate and lectured at the Courtauld Institute of Art, where he also completed his PhD.

Dr Chu will start in post at the Ashmolean in February 2026.

Dr John Chu said: “I’m genuinely thrilled to be joining the Ashmolean. I have long admired the museum for its outstanding public engagement and its leading role in global research. I look forward to collaborating with the team to ensure the astonishing Western art collection continues to provide exceptional benefits for its audiences.”

Dr Xa Sturgis, Director of the Ashmolean Museum said: “We are thrilled to be welcoming Dr John Chu to the Museum. John is a curator of distinction, imagination, verve and vision and will bring a wealth of scholarship and experience to the Ashmolean. I much look forward to seeing how our European collections, their display and our understanding of them will develop under John’s leadership.”