Painting Conservator Professor Aviva Burnstock has been awarded the 2025 Plowden Medal for Conservation, recognised for her exceptional contribution to the field through her work as an educator, where her teaching is always underpinned by her research into both artist’s materials and techniques, and conservation practice.
Established in 1999 to commemorate the life and work of the late Hon. Anna Plowden CBE (1938 – 1997), the Plowden Medal was endowed by the Royal Warrant Holders Association, of which she was Vice-President. It is awarded annually to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the advancement of the conservation profession. The award covers all aspects of conservation be they practical, theoretical or managerial –and is open to those working in private practice or institutions.
Prof. Burnstock is Head of the Department of Art Conservation & Technology at the Courtauld Institute.
Aviva’s first degree was in Neurobiology (BSc University of Sussex 1981) which she immediately followed with a Postgraduate Diploma in the Conservation of Easel Paintings at The Courtauld, graduating in 1984. After working in Australia as a paintings conservator, she joined the Scientific department of the National Gallery, undertaking the technical study of paintings in their collection, before returning to The Courtauld as a lecturer in Conservation in 1992, where for almost four decades, she has been an unwavering scientific innovator, successfully bridging the disciplines of conservation and science
Her television appearances as part of the BBC’s Fake or Fortune are similarly engaging, and her sparkling investigative curiosity has captured the public imagination.
Prof. Burnstock said,
I am delighted to be the recipient of the Plowden Medal 2025 - it’s wonderful to be recognised for my contribution to the Conservation profession
“As an educator, I am deeply grateful to The Anna Plowden Trust for their support, which has enabled generations of students to study Conservation.”
For more details visit: https://www.royalwarrant.org/ and for enquiries contact Claire Anderson: [email protected]
About The Plowden Award for Conservation
Established in 1999 to commemorate the life and work of the late Hon. Anna Plowden CBE (1938 – 1997), the Plowden Medal was endowed by the Royal Warrant Holders Association, of which she was Vice-President. It is awarded annually to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the advancement of the conservation profession. The award covers all aspects of conservation be they practical, theoretical or managerial –and is open to those working in private practice or institutions. Previous winners are:
- Garry Thomson CBE (1999)
- Dr Jonathan Ashley-Smith (2000)
- Donald Insall CBE (2001)
- Dr David Leigh (2002)
- Clare Meredith (2003)
- Christopher Clarkson (2004)
- Carole Milner (2005)
- James Black (2006)
- Dr Vincent Daniels (2007)
- David Pinniger (2008)
- Professor Nicholas Pickwoad (2009)
- David Watkinson (2010)
- Kate Colleran (2011)
- Professor May Cassar (2012)
- Jonathan Betts MBE (2013)
- Dr Jim Tate (2014)
- Nancy Bell (2015)
- Sarah Staniforth (2015)
- Ksynia Marko (2016)
- Professor Sharon Cather (2017)
- Alan Derbyshire (2018)
- Caroline Bendix (2019)
- Katy Lithgow (2020)
- Stephen Clare MBE and Professor Jane Henderson FIIC (2021)
- Julie Dawson (2022)
- Professor Sarah Brown (2023)
- Dr Bronwyn Ormsby (2024)
