Bringing Sir Joseph Noel Paton’s Legacy to Life: Meet Curator Lesley-Anne Lettice

I’ve been both a collections curator and an exhibitions curator for over twenty five years. I’ve been involved with many different projects, from interactive, family friendly exhibitions to exhibitions featuring parts of our diverse collections – everything from industrial history, geology, costume and paintings. I’ve also worked with an array of artists, community groups and volunteers.

A Day in the Life of an OnFife Exhibitions Curator

There’s no average day. I could be selecting and researching objects, installing exhibits, writing, designing layouts, painting walls, organising events, or working with volunteers. It’s always interesting and never boring.

What inspired this exhibition?

The exhibition started with our collection of Paton’s paintings and archives. I then reached out to the National Galleries of Scotland, Glasgow Museums, and the Paton family, discovering even more material. It has grown into a major retrospective of Noel Paton’s work, and I’m so excited to see it come together.

Surprising Facts About Paton

Visitors might be surprised to learn how famous Paton was. Major artists were like the rock stars of their day, drawing huge crowds since there was no TV or internet. Many of Paton’s works toured Britain, often with special lighting. For example, his painting The Two Paths attracted over 50,000 visitors in one day when it was exhibited in Bristol in February 1885.

If you could choose one item in the exhibition to have at home, what would it be?

Choosing one favourite from the exhibition is tough. I love the illustrated books, like Shakespeare’s The Tempest and Shelley’s Prometheus Unbound. If I could pick something to hang on my wall, it would be the framed sketches of The Four Seasons. Paton’s drawings are beautifully detailed and there are more than 50 in the exhibition. They range from portraits of loved ones to sketches for famous works like The Fairy Raid and The Quarrel of Oberon and Titania from A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Why should you visit the exhibition?

The exhibition celebrates the life and work of Fife-born artist Noel Paton, Queen Victoria’s official painter in Scotland. It features beautiful paintings, drawings, and illustrations, showcasing Paton as an artist, sculptor, poet, historian, and devoted family man. Discover who Noel Paton was and explore the life and work of this multi-talented man who deserves to be better known in his hometown of Dunfermline and further afield.