Barber Institute of Fine Arts (Director's Choice)

The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham, is widely recognished as one of the finest small picture galleries in the world, and the most representative collection of Western art assembled in Britain in the twentieth century.

The Barber Institute's Director, Ann Sumner, offers here a charmingly personal guide to some of the Collection's finest pieces, allowing us to share in her passion and enthusiasm for the world-renowned works in here care, which include Giovanni Bellini's Saint Jerome in the Hilderness, Gainsborough's The Harvest Wagon, Monet's The Church at Varengeville and Isaac Oliver's portrait miniature of Henry, Prince of Wales.

Ann Summer has held curatorial positions at the National Portrait Gallery, London, the Holburne Museum, Bath, and the Whiworth Art Gallery, University of Manchester, and was Keeper at Dulwich Picture Gallery. She spent seven years as Head of Fine Art at the National Museum Wales before joining The Barber Institue of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham, as Director and Professor of Fine Arts and Curatorial Practice in 2007