# Alexander Sturgis

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British art historian and museum curator (born 1963)

Alexander Sturgis CBE Born (1963-11-06) 6 November 1963 (age 62) London, England, United Kingdom Other names Xa Sturgis The Great Xa Alma mater University College, Oxford Courtauld Institute of Art Occupations Curator Museum director Employer(s) National Gallery Holburne Museum Ashmolean Museum Title Director of the Ashmolean Museum Predecessor Christopher Brown

**Alexander John Sturgis** [CBE](/source/Commander_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire) (born 6 November 1963) is a British [art historian](/source/Art_historian) and [museum curator](/source/Museum_curator). He is currently [Director](/source/Museum_director) of the [Ashmolean Museum](/source/Ashmolean_Museum) in [Oxford](/source/Oxford) and was [Director](/source/Museum_director) of the [Holburne Museum](/source/Holburne_Museum) in [Bath](/source/Bath%2C_Somerset) from 2005 to 2014.

## Early life

Sturgis was born on 6 November 1963 in [London](/source/London), England.[1] He was educated at [Marlborough College](/source/Marlborough_College), a [private school](/source/Private_schools_in_the_United_Kingdom) in [Marlborough, Wiltshire](/source/Marlborough%2C_Wiltshire).[1] He studied history at [University College](/source/University_College%2C_Oxford), [University of Oxford](/source/University_of_Oxford) from 1982 to 1985. He graduated with a [Bachelor of Arts](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts) (BA) degree, which was later promoted to a [Master of Arts (Oxford, Cambridge, and Dublin)](/source/Master_of_Arts_(Oxford%2C_Cambridge%2C_and_Dublin)) (MA Oxon) degree.[2] He undertook [post-graduate](/source/Post-graduate) study in [art history](/source/Art_history) at the [Courtauld Institute of Art](/source/Courtauld_Institute_of_Art) in London.[3] and completed his [Doctor of Philosophy](/source/Doctor_of_Philosophy) (PhD) degree in 1990.[2]

## Career

Sturgis worked at the [National Gallery](/source/National_Gallery), London, from 1991 to 2005.[3] Beginning in the education department,[2] he later served as exhibitions and programmes curator from 1999 to 2005.[4][5] In 2005, he was appointed [Director](/source/Museum_director) of the [Holburne Museum](/source/Holburne_Museum) in [Bath](/source/Bath%2C_Somerset).[6] During his time at Holburne, he oversaw a renovation of the museum that included a £13 million extension.[7]

From the 2014/2015 academic year he was appointed [Director](/source/Museum_director) of the [University of Oxford](/source/University_of_Oxford)'s [Ashmolean Museum](/source/Ashmolean_Museum) on 1 October 2014.[4][8] He is also a [Supernumerary Fellow](/source/Supernumerary_Fellow) of [Worcester College, Oxford](/source/Worcester_College%2C_Oxford).[9]

His publications include *Rebels and Martyrs: The Image of the Artist in the Nineteenth Century* (2006) and *Presence: Sculpture and the Portrait* (2012).

## Personal life

In his spare time, Sturgis is a [magician](/source/Magic_(illusion)) under the name **The Great Xa** and appeared on 1990s British TV programme [The Word](/source/The_Word_(TV_series)) appearing to swallow sharp razor blades.[10][11][12][13]

## Selected works

- Sturgis, Alexander (1994). *Magic in art: tricks, perspective, illusions*. London: Belitha Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1855613577](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1855613577).

- Sturgis, Alexander (1998). *Faces*. London: National Gallery Publications. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1857092226](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1857092226).

- Sturgis, Alexander (2000). *Telling time*. London: National Gallery Company. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1857099058](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1857099058).

- Sturgis, Alexander; Child, Lauren (2003). *Dan's angel: a detective's guide to the language of painting*. London: Frances Lincoln. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0711218857](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0711218857).

- Sturgis, Alexander; [Christiansen, Rupert](/source/Rupert_Christiansen); Oliver, Lois; Wilson, Michael (2006). *Rebels and martyrs: the image of the artist in the nineteenth century*. London: National Gallery Company. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1857093469](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1857093469).

- Sturgis, Alexander (2009). *Faces* (2nd ed.). London: National Gallery Company. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1857094640](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1857094640).

- Sturgis, Alexander (2012). *Presence: the art of portrait sculpture*. Suffolk: Antique Collectors Club. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1851496853](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1851496853).

- Vestey, Joanna; Sturgis, Alexander; Roberts, Russell (2015). *Custodians*. Oxford: Ashmolean Museum Publications. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1854442970](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1854442970).

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-WW_2017_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-WW_2017_1-1) 'STURGIS, Dr Alexander John', [Who's Who 2017](/source/Who's_Who_2017), A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2017; online end, [Oxford University Press](/source/Oxford_University_Press), 2016; online edn, Nov 2016 [accessed 16 May 2017](http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U272547)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Oxford_-_New_Director_of_Ashmolean_Museum_appointed_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Oxford_-_New_Director_of_Ashmolean_Museum_appointed_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Oxford_-_New_Director_of_Ashmolean_Museum_appointed_2-2) ["New Director of Ashmolean Museum appointed"](https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2014-01-23-new-director-ashmolean-museum-appointed). [University of Oxford](/source/University_of_Oxford). 23 January 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2020.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Bath_-_Director_of_Holburne_Museum_to_talk_about_its_recent_redevelopment_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Bath_-_Director_of_Holburne_Museum_to_talk_about_its_recent_redevelopment_3-1) ["Director of Holburne Museum to talk about its recent redevelopment"](http://www.bath.ac.uk/news/2011/05/17/holburne/). *University news*. [University of Bath](/source/University_of_Bath). 17 May 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2014.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Oxford_Mail_-_New_director_set_to_take_over_at_Ashmolean_Museum_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Oxford_Mail_-_New_director_set_to_take_over_at_Ashmolean_Museum_4-1) ["New director set to take over at Ashmolean Museum"](http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/10960309.New_director_set_to_take_over_at_Ashmolean_Museum/). *[Oxford Mail](/source/Oxford_Mail)*. 24 January 2014. Retrieved 10 March 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Ashmolean_-_new_director_5-0)** ["New Director of Ashmolean Museum appointed"](http://www.ashmolean.org/news/?id=235). *News and events*. [Ashmolean Museum](/source/Ashmolean_Museum). Retrieved 10 March 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Bath_Chronicle_-_Bath's_Holburne_Museum_director_is_leaving_for_new_role_6-0)** ["Bath's Holburne Museum director is leaving for new role at the Ashmolean in Oxford"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140310144525/http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/Bath-s-Holburne-Museum-director-leaving-new-role/story-20488480-detail/story.html). *[The Bath Chronicle](/source/The_Bath_Chronicle)*. 23 January 2014. Archived from [the original](http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/Bath-s-Holburne-Museum-director-leaving-new-role/story-20488480-detail/story.html) on 10 March 2014. Retrieved 10 March 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Western_Daily_Press_-_New_role_for_Holburne_Museum_director_at_the_Ashmolean_7-0)** ["New role for Holburne Museum director at the Ashmolean"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140310141253/http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/New-role-Holburne-Museum-director-Ashmolean/story-20492663-detail/story.html). *[Western Daily Press](/source/Western_Daily_Press)*. 24 January 2014. Archived from [the original](http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/New-role-Holburne-Museum-director-Ashmolean/story-20492663-detail/story.html) on 10 March 2014. Retrieved 10 March 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Courtauld alumnus appointed as Director of Ashmolean Museum"](http://www.courtauld.ac.uk/news/DrSturgis.shtml). *News*. [The Courtauld Institute](/source/The_Courtauld_Institute). Retrieved 10 March 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Dr Alexander Sturgis MA, PhD"](http://www.worc.ox.ac.uk/about/fellows/alexander-sturgis). [Worcester College, Oxford](/source/Worcester_College%2C_Oxford). Retrieved 25 August 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Moore, Charles (25 January 2014). ["The Spectator's Notes: George Osborne's personal recovery"](http://www.spectator.co.uk/columnists/the-spectators-notes/9122571/the-spectators-notes-371/). *[The Spectator](/source/The_Spectator)*. Retrieved 10 March 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["The Great Xa's Holburne illusion"](http://www.bdonline.co.uk/the-great-xa%E2%80%99s-holburne-illusion/5018546.article). BD online. 20 May 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["The life of a modern magician: Razor blades, ballet shoes and bumping into the Obamas"](https://www.countrylife.co.uk/luxury/gentleman/life-of-a-modern-magician-171452). *[Country Life](/source/Country_Life_(magazine))*. 20 December 2017. Retrieved 23 August 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** [*The Great Xar - Swallowing Razor Blades THEWORD*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c89A6iQPoVg) (Video). Retrieved 23 August 2022.

Cultural offices Preceded by Christopher Brown Director of the Ashmolean Museum 2014–present Incumbent

v t e Keepers and Directors of the Ashmolean Museum Keepers: Robert Plot (1683) Edward Lhuyd (1690) David Parry (1709) John Whiteside (1714) George Shepheard (1730) Joseph Andrews (1731) George Huddesford (1732) William Huddesford (1755) William Sheffield (1772) William Lloyd (1796) Thomas Dunbar (1815) William Philipps (1822) John Shute Duncan (1823) Philip Bury Duncan (1826) John Phillips (1854) John Henry Parker (1870) Sir Arthur Evans (1884) David George Hogarth (1909) Edward Thurlow Leeds (1928) Sir Karl Parker (1945) Robert W. Hamilton (1962) Directors: Sir David Piper (1973) Professor Sir Christopher White (1985) Roger Moorey (1997, acting) Christopher Brown (1998) Alexander Sturgis (2014)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Alexander Sturgis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Sturgis) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Sturgis?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.