Template:Short description Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates {{#invoke:Listen|main}} Alexander Robert Nairne Template:Post-nominals (born 8 June 1953) is a British art historian and curator. From 2002 until February 2015 he was the director of the National Portrait Gallery, London.<ref name="countrylife">Template:Cite journal</ref>

Life and careerEdit

Nairne was responsible for the successful recovery of two late J. M. W. Turner paintings, stolen in Germany in 1994, and put back on display at Tate Britain in early 2003.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He negotiated secretly for 8 years on behalf of the Tate to get the two paintings back. His experience is chronicled in his 2011 book, Art Theft and the Case of the Stolen Turners.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Nairne became Director of the National Portrait Gallery in London in 2002.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On 12 June 2014 he announced his resignation which took effect in early 2015.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was succeeded by Nicholas Cullinan.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2011 Birthday Honours for services to the arts.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Nairne was among those appointed on 29 January 2015 to the Bank of England's Banknote Character Advisory Committee, whose first task would be to decide who should appear on the next £20 banknote.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

ReferencesEdit

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External linksEdit

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