Philip Mould

Philip Mould OBE
Born	1960
Nationality	English
Alma mater	University of East Anglia
Occupation	art dealer art historian
Website	www.philipmould.com

Philip Jonathan Clifford Mould OBE (born 1960) is an English art dealer and art historian, specialising in British portraits. He also works as a broadcaster, journalist and writer on art. He is best known for his role on the BBC TV show Fake or Fortune? along with co-presenter Fiona Bruce. He also writes various newspaper articles for the national press.

Biography

Portrait of Arthur, Prince of Wales (1486–1502) reidentified by Mould

Mould was educated at Kingsmead School, Hoylake, Worth School and the University of East Anglia from where he graduated with a BA in History of Art in 1981.^[1]

He has made a number of art discoveries, particularly in the works of Thomas Gainsborough,^[2] and Tudor portraiture.^[3] He has sold works to public institutions such as the National Portrait Gallery (London) and the Royal Albert Memorial Museum.^[4]

Mould is a valuer for the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Government's Acceptance in Lieu scheme. Between 1988–2010 he acted as honorary art adviser to the House of Commons and the House of Lords.^[5] He is chairman of the charity Kids in Museums,^[6] president and ex-chairman of Plantlife International,^[7] and a trustee and director of the Tony Banks Memorial Trust for the acquisition of historical works for museums.^[8][9] Mould is a supporter of CleanupUK, and Pond Conservation.^[10] He was elected as a fellow of the Linnean Society in 2012.^[11]

Mould is a regular broadcaster, reviewer and writer for the national press. His television work includes writing and presenting the Channel 4 series Changing Faces, co-presenting BBC2's Antiques Show, and as an expert on the Antiques Roadshow. In 2011, and again in 2012, he co-hosted with Fiona Bruce the TV programme Fake or Fortune?.^[12] A third series aired in January 2014, and a fourth in July 2015.

In January 2014, Mould warned of the increasing prevalence of trapping in which crooked sellers misleadingly hint that fake artworks have genuine provenance, without actually making false descriptions or asserting attributions.^[13]

In recognition of his art world expertise and contribution to portrait heritage he was created OBE in the 2005 New Year Honours list.^[14] In 2010, he was named patron of Fight for Sight.^[15]

For his achievements in the art world, his numerous charities and broadcasting, Mould received an honorary doctorate in July 2013 at his former university, the University of East Anglia.^[16]

In August 2014, Mould was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian opposing Scottish independence in the run-up to September's referendum on that issue.^[17]

In October 2015 Mould appeared on BBC's Gardeners' World, in the garden of his home, discussing his passion for those varieties of rose which would have been grown in the time of Anthony van Dyck. He also discussed the work of one of his favourite artists, Cedric Morris.^[18]

Bibliography

• Sleepers: In Search of Lost Old Masters (1995) Fourth Estate ISBN 978-1857022186 retitled in paperback as The Trail of Lot 163: In Search of Lost Art Treasures (1997) – both currently out of print
• Sleuth: The Amazing Quest for Lost Art Treasures (2009) Harper Collins ISBN 978-0007319152 retitled for US edition as The Art Detective: Fakes, Frauds and Finds and the Search for Lost Treasures (2010))

Personal life

• Philip lives with his wife Catherine and son Oliver. They have a house in London; Kensington and a house in Oxfordshire close to Chipping Norton.^[19]

References

External links

• Official website
• Philip Mould on Twitter
  
• Philip Mould on Journalisted
• Philip Mould, The Art Detective at NPR.org