Included here is a set of policies covering a range of activities involved in the day-to-day running of the gallery.
Photography and Filming in The Gallery
Photography without flash for personal use is permitted throughout The Gallery unless otherwise stated in certain rooms. Tripods, monopods and selfie sticks are not permitted.
Permission must be sought for filming. If you wish to film inside The Courtauld Gallery please email marketing@courtauld.ac.uk with a brief synopsis of the project as well as with details of crew size, equipment, technical requirements and dates you hope to carry out the work, at least two weeks in advance of your planned shoot.
For commercial filming and location shoot enquiries, please email venuehire@courtauld.ac.uk.
Sketching and Painting in The Gallery
We welcome guests to sketch in the Gallery.
Sketching is permitted within the galleries using the following materials:
- graphite and coloured pencils
- enclosed pencil sharpener
- erasers
- paper (maximum size A3)
Please note that the following materials are not permitted within the galleries:
- pens and permanent markers (including biros, ink and felt tip pens)
- wax crayons
- oil or acrylic paints and watercolours/gouache
- correction or masking fluid
- charcoal
- pastels (chalk or oil based)
- fixatives and aerosols
- scissors and craft knives
- adhesives/glues/sticky tape
- carbon paper
- portable easels
Borrowing Works of Art from the Gallery
The Courtauld welcomes loan requests from museums and galleries and other venues where public access and benefit can be guaranteed.
We require a minimum of 12 months’ notice for international venues and 9 months’ notice for loans to UK venues. Exceptions may be made under special circumstances.
Please address a formal written request to Ernst Vegelin van Claerbergen, Head of the Courtauld Gallery, The Courtauld, Somerset House, London, WC2R 0RN outlining the scope of your exhibition and reasons for borrowing. If you are a first time borrower from the Courtauld, please accompany your request with a completed Facilities Report.
The Princes Gate collection
Please note that there is a legal presumption against lending from the Princes Gate Collection but any requests will be considered at twice-yearly meetings of the Samuel Courtauld Trust’s board of Trustees. Works on panel before 1600 cannot be loaned. Other works from the Princes Gate Collection may only be loaned as a matter of exception and with approval of the Trustees.
Useful Contacts:
Head of the Courtauld Gallery
Registrar of Collections
Provenance Research
In accordance with the Statement of Principles adopted by the National Museum Directors’ Conference (NMDC) in November 1998 and the statement issued by the Museums and Galleries Commission in April 1999, The Courtauld Gallery has undertaken work to examine the provenance of its collections with regard to the spoliation of works of art during the Holocaust and World War II period.
Provenance Research
Immunity from Seizure
The Courtauld Gallery is able to provide immunity from seizure under Part 6 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007. This Act provides protection from seizure for cultural objects from abroad on loan to temporary exhibitions in approved museums and galleries in the UK.
Immunity from Seizure