“Can Venice be saved?”
World Monument Fund’s Paul Mellon Lecture given by Anna Somers Cocks (chief executive of The Art Newspaper and chairman of the Venice in Peril Fund from 1999 to 2012)
Established in 2003, WMF’s annual Paul Mellon Lecture focuses on the art, history, and conservation of important heritage projects in which WMF is engaged.
In recent years, speakers have included Dr. Charles Dempsey, Professor Emeritus of Italian Renaissance and Baroque Art at Johns Hopkins University, speaking on the Carracci Gallery in the Farnese Palace in Rome; Dr. Kent Weeks, noted Egyptologist, speaking on the conservation program at the Valley of Kings in Luxor; Sir Neil Cossons, Chairman of English Heritage; Sir Tom Shebbeare, Director of the Prince’s Charities; and John Julius, Viscount Norwich, noted author and retired Chair of WMF Britain. Each lecture has provided an exploration of iconography, craftsmanship, and the visitor experience today.