Harriet Bridgeman
Encyclopedia
Victoria Harriet Lucy Bridgeman, Viscountess Bridgeman (born 1942) is the founder of the Bridgeman Art Library
, which encompasses the world's largest collection of fine art images.
Born Harriet Turton to Ralph Meredyth Turton and Mary Blanche Chetwynd-Stapylton in County Durham, England, she is one of four daughters. Throughout her early youth, she was educated at home by a governess
, under the Parents' National Educational Union System. She then attended St Mary's School
in Wantage
, Berkshire
, and Trinity College
, Dublin, where she earned a Master of Arts
degree.
After graduating in 1964, Harriet Bridgeman worked as an editorial trainee with The Lady
magazine. Continuing with her passion for writing, in 1965 Harriet was appointed Executive Editor for a weekly monograph called The Masters Following this, she conceived, edited and produced another weekly magazine, Discovering Antiques, for which she formed her own production company, Harriet Bridgeman Ltd. Works such as The Encyclopaedia of Victoriana and The British Eccentric are some of the many books written, edited, and co-authored by her.
In 1966, she married Robin Bridgeman
, the third Viscount
of that name, resulting in a family of four sons, including Luke Bridgeman, the heir apparent
to his father's titles.
During her time as an editor and author, Harriet Bridgeman discovered the need for easier access to illustrations of works of art. There was no central and convenient way to obtain colour transparencies or black-and-white prints other than by going from museum to museum. The concept of the Bridgeman Art Library emerged in 1972 and developed to allow users to access thousands of images at the same time providing extra income for the museums, collections, artists and institutions which it represents. The library now has offices in Germany
, France
, England
, and the United States
and Lady Bridgeman continues to travel internationally in order to support the development of collections and the access to arts generally.
The Library has been funded by the European Union for three major research projects involving new technology, including the MILE Project (Metadata Image Library Exploitation) and Project SILVER (Semantic Interactive Learning Visualisation Environment Research). MILE aims to promote European cultural heritage and make digital art more accessible by improving metadata, while the SILVER project researches the visualisation of knowledge within e-learning environments with a view to developing highly innovative software along with content-based prototypes for educational use.
In addition to running the Library, Harriet Bridgeman was a founder member of BAPLA British Association of Picture Libraries and Agencies
and has chaired their executive committee with special responsibility for copyright. She compiled their first publication on the standardisation of terms in use in the picture industry. She also represents BAPLA on the British Copyright Council (BCC) and is a member of the Intellectual Property Advisory Committee (IPAC).
In 1997 Harriet Bridgeman was awarded the European Women of Achievement Award in the Arts. The award was given in recognition of the Bridgeman Art Library’s promotion of European culture and the European scope of its clients, collections and research. In 2005, she was voted the International Business Woman of the Year by the judges of the International Business Awards. In 2006, she founded a Community Interest Company, the Artists’ Collecting Society to collect Artists’ Resale Right (Droit de Suite
) on behalf of UK-based artists.
Bridgeman Art Library
The Bridgeman Art Library, based in London, Paris, New York and Berlin, provides one of the largest archives for reproductions of works of art in the world...
, which encompasses the world's largest collection of fine art images.
Born Harriet Turton to Ralph Meredyth Turton and Mary Blanche Chetwynd-Stapylton in County Durham, England, she is one of four daughters. Throughout her early youth, she was educated at home by a governess
Governess
A governess is a girl or woman employed to teach and train children in a private household. In contrast to a nanny or a babysitter, she concentrates on teaching children, not on meeting their physical needs...
, under the Parents' National Educational Union System. She then attended St Mary's School
St Mary's School, Wantage
St Mary's School was an Anglican private girls' school located in Wantage, Oxfordshire, England, between 1873 and 2007, when it merged with Heathfield School to become Heathfield St Mary's. The school was popular with the British aristocracy.-History:...
in Wantage
Wantage
Wantage is a market town and civil parish in the Vale of the White Horse, Oxfordshire, England. The town is on Letcombe Brook, about south-west of Abingdon and a similar distance west of Didcot....
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, and Trinity College
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, Dublin, where she earned a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (Oxbridge)
In the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin, Bachelors of Arts of these universities are admitted to the degree of Master of Arts or Master in Arts on application after six or seven years' seniority as members of the university .There is no examination or study required for the degree...
degree.
After graduating in 1964, Harriet Bridgeman worked as an editorial trainee with The Lady
The Lady (magazine)
The Lady is Britain's oldest weekly women's magazine. It has been in continuous publication since 1885 and is based in London. It is particularly notable for its classified advertisements for domestic service and child care; it also has extensive listings of holiday properties.The magazine was...
magazine. Continuing with her passion for writing, in 1965 Harriet was appointed Executive Editor for a weekly monograph called The Masters Following this, she conceived, edited and produced another weekly magazine, Discovering Antiques, for which she formed her own production company, Harriet Bridgeman Ltd. Works such as The Encyclopaedia of Victoriana and The British Eccentric are some of the many books written, edited, and co-authored by her.
In 1966, she married Robin Bridgeman
Robin Bridgeman, 3rd Viscount Bridgeman
Robin John Orlando Bridgeman, 3rd Viscount Bridgeman CA is a British peer and politician.The son of Brigadier Geoffrey John Orlando Bridgeman and Mary Meriel Gertrude Talbot, and grandson of the 1st Viscount Bridgeman was educated at Eton College, Berkshire...
, the third Viscount
Viscount
A viscount or viscountess is a member of the European nobility whose comital title ranks usually, as in the British peerage, above a baron, below an earl or a count .-Etymology:...
of that name, resulting in a family of four sons, including Luke Bridgeman, the heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
to his father's titles.
During her time as an editor and author, Harriet Bridgeman discovered the need for easier access to illustrations of works of art. There was no central and convenient way to obtain colour transparencies or black-and-white prints other than by going from museum to museum. The concept of the Bridgeman Art Library emerged in 1972 and developed to allow users to access thousands of images at the same time providing extra income for the museums, collections, artists and institutions which it represents. The library now has offices in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Lady Bridgeman continues to travel internationally in order to support the development of collections and the access to arts generally.
The Library has been funded by the European Union for three major research projects involving new technology, including the MILE Project (Metadata Image Library Exploitation) and Project SILVER (Semantic Interactive Learning Visualisation Environment Research). MILE aims to promote European cultural heritage and make digital art more accessible by improving metadata, while the SILVER project researches the visualisation of knowledge within e-learning environments with a view to developing highly innovative software along with content-based prototypes for educational use.
In addition to running the Library, Harriet Bridgeman was a founder member of BAPLA British Association of Picture Libraries and Agencies
British Association of Picture Libraries and Agencies
BAPLA is the trade association of UK based photographic image suppliers, commercial picture libraries and agencies.-History:The association was formed in 1975 with founding members: Getty Images, Robert Harding World Imagery, Aspect Picture Library, FLPA - Images of Nature, Camera Press, BBC Photo...
and has chaired their executive committee with special responsibility for copyright. She compiled their first publication on the standardisation of terms in use in the picture industry. She also represents BAPLA on the British Copyright Council (BCC) and is a member of the Intellectual Property Advisory Committee (IPAC).
In 1997 Harriet Bridgeman was awarded the European Women of Achievement Award in the Arts. The award was given in recognition of the Bridgeman Art Library’s promotion of European culture and the European scope of its clients, collections and research. In 2005, she was voted the International Business Woman of the Year by the judges of the International Business Awards. In 2006, she founded a Community Interest Company, the Artists’ Collecting Society to collect Artists’ Resale Right (Droit de Suite
Droit de suite
Droit de suite is a right granted to artists or their heirs, in some jurisdictions, to receive a fee on the resale of their works of art...
) on behalf of UK-based artists.