Michael Brand
Encyclopedia
Dr Michael Brand is an art scholar from Australia
. Throughout his career, Brand has specialised in the art of Asia
, in particular Indian art
.
Dr Brand was born in Canberra
, but spent several years in the United States of America while his father was a representative at the International Monetary Fund
. He lived in McLean, Virginia
in 1971 and 1972, and spent four years studying in Washington, D.C.
to complete High School
. He completed his undergraduate studies at the Australian National University
in 1979 specialising in Art History and Asian Studies, and attained an MA
and PhD
at Harvard University
in 1982 and 1987 respectively.
After completing his studies, Dr Brand worked as the founding head of Asian art at the National Gallery of Australia
and in 1996 unsuccessfully applied for the directorship therehttp://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/04/08/1081326859197.html?from=storyrhs. He left for the Queensland Art Gallery
later that year, and spent four years working as assistant director. In 2000 he moved to Richmond, Virginia
to succeed Katherine C. Lee as director of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
.
In August 2005 Dr Brand was appointed director of the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, California
, refuting speculationhttp://www.artnet.com/Magazine/news/artnetnews2/artnetnews3-31-05.asp that he may have accepted the post of director of the Cleveland Museum of Art
, where he would once again have been following in Lee's footsteps. Brand took up the rôle of director in January 2006, and has since had a rocky time running the museum, as allegations surfaced that Brand's predecessor and other museum staff were involved in illegally purchasing Italian
artefacts from tomb-robbers.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Throughout his career, Brand has specialised in the art of Asia
Asian art
Asian art can refer to art amongst many cultures in Asia.-Various types of Asian art:*Afghan art*Azerbaijanian art*Balinese art*Bhutanese art*Buddhist art*Burmese contemporary art*Chinese art*Eastern art*Indian art*Iranian art*Islamic art...
, in particular Indian art
Indian art
Indian Art is the visual art produced on the Indian subcontinent from about the 3rd millennium BC to modern times. To viewers schooled in the Western tradition, Indian art may seem overly ornate and sensuous; appreciation of its refinement comes only gradually, as a rule. Voluptuous feeling is...
.
Dr Brand was born in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, but spent several years in the United States of America while his father was a representative at the International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
. He lived in McLean, Virginia
McLean, Virginia
McLean is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Fairfax County in Northern Virginia. The community had a total population of 48,115 as of the 2010 census....
in 1971 and 1972, and spent four years studying in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
to complete High School
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
. He completed his undergraduate studies at the Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
in 1979 specialising in Art History and Asian Studies, and attained an MA
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
and PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1982 and 1987 respectively.
After completing his studies, Dr Brand worked as the founding head of Asian art at the National Gallery of Australia
National Gallery of Australia
The National Gallery of Australia is the national art gallery of Australia, holding more than 120,000 works of art. It was established in 1967 by the Australian government as a national public art gallery.- Establishment :...
and in 1996 unsuccessfully applied for the directorship therehttp://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/04/08/1081326859197.html?from=storyrhs. He left for the Queensland Art Gallery
Queensland Art Gallery
The Queensland Art Gallery is part of the Queensland Cultural Centre, and is located nearest to Brisbane River at South Bank...
later that year, and spent four years working as assistant director. In 2000 he moved to Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
to succeed Katherine C. Lee as director of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
The Virginia Museum of Fine arts, or VMFA, is an art museum in Richmond, Virginia, in the United States, which opened in 1936.The museum is owned and operated by the Commonwealth of Virginia, while private donations, endowments, and funds are used for the support of specific programs and all...
.
In August 2005 Dr Brand was appointed director of the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, refuting speculationhttp://www.artnet.com/Magazine/news/artnetnews2/artnetnews3-31-05.asp that he may have accepted the post of director of the Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland Museum of Art
The Cleveland Museum of Art is an art museum situated in the Wade Park District, in the University Circle neighborhood on Cleveland's east side. Internationally renowned for its substantial holdings of Asian and Egyptian art, the museum houses a diverse permanent collection of more than 43,000...
, where he would once again have been following in Lee's footsteps. Brand took up the rôle of director in January 2006, and has since had a rocky time running the museum, as allegations surfaced that Brand's predecessor and other museum staff were involved in illegally purchasing Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
artefacts from tomb-robbers.