Ambassador Nicolas M. Salgo Fund Research Associate

Art Institute of Chicago • Chicago, IL

12h

About The Position

About the Art Institute of Chicago The Art Institute of Chicago shares its singular collections with our city and the world. We collect, care for, and interpret works of art across time, cultures, geographies, and identities. We are a place of gathering and learning, committed to fostering an inclusive understanding of human creativity. About the Department The Art Institute’s department of Provenance Research investigates the history of the objects in the museum’s collection. We strive to trace the origins and journeys of objects in order to enrich our understanding of their cultural significance and historical contexts. Position Summary The Research Associate will support an initiative to investigate the provenance of objects associated with the Austro-Hungarian Empire and its successor states. Under the guidance of the Executive Director of Provenance Research and Senior Research Associate, the Research Associate will review all collecting areas to identify relevant objects, and will locate any existing provenance documentation in the museum’s database, curatorial files, and archival records. As part of the cataloguing process, the Research Associate will identify individual objects or groups of objects for further examination and will carry out targeted in-depth provenance research into these objects using relevant archival records in both North America and Europe. The Research Associate will also contribute to the provenance department’s initiatives to share provenance research findings with the museum’s audiences through participation in gallery tours, study days, conferences, and the publication of web articles about their research findings.

Requirements

• Master’s degree or equivalent experience in art history, history or related subject required
• Experience conducting provenance research in a museum or cultural institution setting
• Experience with museum collection database systems
• Experience with archival research
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Workspace required

Nice To Haves

• The ideal candidate should demonstrate: an open-minded and collaborative approach to working and communicating with all colleagues across the museum; the ability to work independently and proactively while maintaining strong collegial relationships; a commitment to contributing to their field of study through publications, lectures, and other professional engagements; outstanding writing, research, communication, editorial, organizational, and project management skills that demonstrate both scholarly ability and interest in public engagement.
• Foreign language skills valued

Responsibilities

• Collection documentation: Systematically reviews all collecting areas to identify objects connected to the Austro-Hungarian Empire and its successor states; evaluates existing provenance documentation in the museum database; locates and reviews relevant internal curatorial and archival records; updates collection database to reflect provenance information in archival documentation; develops and refines provenance statements.
• Provenance research: Conducts research into the provenance of select objects associated with the Austro-Hungarian Empire and its successor states; identifies and reviews the relevant scholarly literature on these objects and their previous owners; locates and reviews relevant archival documentation; produces detailed research reports and updates the museum database.
• Public engagement: Researches and writes web articles about the provenance of objects associated with the Austro-Hungarian Empire; contributes their research to the department of Provenance Research’s public gallery tours and study days.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level