Duncan Robinson




David Duncan Robinson, is a British art historian and academic. He was the Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge, 2002–2012. He was also the chairman of the Henry Moore Foundation and, until 2007, the director of the Fitzwilliam Museum.

Early life and education

Robinson was born on 27 June 1943. He was educated at The King's School, Macclesfield, Clare College, Cambridge and Yale University.

Academic career

Robinson is a leading authority on British art from the eighteenth century onwards. he began his career as an assistant keeper in the Department of Paintings and Drawings at Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, between 1970and 1976. In 1976, he was appointed Keeper of Paintings and Drawings. From 1975 to 1981, he was additionally a Fellow of Clare College, Cambridge and a college lecturer.
From 1981 to 1995, Robinson was Director of the Yale Center for British Art and an adjunct professor of art history at Yale University. During this time, he was additionally Chief Executive of the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art in London.
He joined the Fitzwilliam Museum as its director in 1995 upon returning to the United Kingdom from Yale. He resumed teaching at Cambridge and was elected into a professorial fellowship at Clare College. He is a trustee of the Royal Collection.
In 2002, Robinson was appointed Master of Magdalene College following the retirement of Sir John Gurdon. In 2005 he was appointed as a deputy vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge. Unusually for a head of house, he remained the director of studies for both of 'his' colleges: Magdalene and Clare. He served as master until the end of 2012; on 1 January 2013, Rowan Williams took up the role. He has been made an honorary fellow of Magdalene upon the end of his term as master.
Robinson retired as director of the Fitzwilliam Museum in 2007 in order to devote more time to Magdalene College, his research and his teaching.

Personal life

In 1967, Robinson married Elizabeth Anne Sutton. Together they had three children: one son and two daughters.

Honours

He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2008 Birthday Honours for services to the heritage of art. He is also a deputy lieutenant of the County of Cambridgeshire.

Selected works