Details

Name

Rebecca Quinton

Brief Biography

Glasgow Museums Staff, Curator, 2003 -

Occupation

Curator of European Dress and Textiles

Description

Rebecca Quinton is the Curator, European Dress and Textiles for Glasgow Life Museums. Her remit spans from the medieval tapestries and embroideries in the Burrell Collection to contemporary fashion in the European dress and textile collection.

Rebecca has a BA (Hons) in English Literature from Royal Holloway, University of London. She volunteered at the Building of Bath Museum and Blaise Castle House Museum, Bristol, before gaining a Postgraduate Diploma in Museum Studies at the University of Leicester. Between 1997 and 2003 she worked at Brighton and Hove Museums where she co-curated the new gallery of Fashion & Style at Brighton Museum and Art Gallery. From 2016 to early 2025 Rebecca was on extended temporary transfer to Research Manager, Art, at Glasgow Life Museums, during which period she was responsible for overseeing the Art and Design team of curators, providing line management support and peer review of their displays, exhibitions and publications. Rebecca was an Honorary Senior Research Fellow in History of Art at the University of Glasgow from 2010 to 2023, where she was the inaugural convenor of the MLitt: Dress and Textile Histories. She was Secretary of the UK museums' subject specialist network Dress and Textile Specialists from 2012–16, and subsequently its Chair from 2016–21.

Her current research interests include British embroideries in the Burrell Collection, legacies of slavery and empire, nineteenth-century dress and textile manufacturers, and Scottish wedding outfits. She has curated numerous displays and exhibitions, including A Dress to Dye For: How fashion was changed by technology, People’s Palace, 2006–7 and A Century of Style: Costume and Colour 1800–1899, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, 2015–16.

Her publications include:
Introducing European Embroideries, Glasgow Life Museums, Glasgow, 2024.
Introducing European Tapestries, Glasgow Museums, Glasgow, 2022.
Introducing European Costume, Glasgow Museums, Glasgow, 2015.
Glasgow Museums: Seventeenth-century Costume, Unicorn Press Ltd in association with Glasgow Museums, 2013.
Patterns of Childhood: Samplers from Glasgow Museums, The Herbert Press, an imprint of A&C Black, in association with Glasgow City Council (Museums), 2005.

Collections

19th Century Bags and Purses Curator

19th Century Fans Curator

19th Century Footwear Curator

17th Century European Women's Wear Curator

17th Century European Men's Wear Curator

Art and Design Curator

17th Century Coifs Curator

Samplers Curator

18th Century European Lace Accessories Curator

17th Century Nightcaps Curator

17th Century Lace Accessories Curator

Inlay Patchwork Curator

European Decorative Arts and Design Curator

19th Century European Infants' and Children's Wear Curator

19th Century European Dress Accessories Curator

19th Century European Night and Dressing Wear Curator

19th Century European Outerwear Curator

19th Century European Underwear Curator

European Riding and Hunting Wear Curator

18th Century European Dress Curator

18th Century European Dress Accessories Curator

18th Century European Men's Wear Curator

19th Century Headwear Curator

19th Century Lace Accessories Curator

European Men's Wear 1850–1900 Curator

European Women's Wear 1800–1837 Curator

European Women's Wear 1837–1870 Curator

European Women's Wear 1870–1900 Curator

European Dress Curator

European Dress and Textiles Curator

17th Century Gloves Curator

European Bathing, Beach & Swimwear Curator

19th Century European Women’s Wear Curator

Keeping Glasgow in Stitches banners Curator

European Women's Wear 1700–1770 Curator

18th Century Footwear Curator

European Textiles Curator

18th Century European Women's Wear Curator

17th Century European Dress Accessories Curator

17th Century European Dress Curator

European Men's Wear 1700–1770 Curator

European Women's Wear 1770–1800 Curator

18th Century Fans Curator

19th Century European Men's Wear Curator

19th Century European Dress Curator

European Tapestry Curator

European Banners and Hangings Curator

European Interior Furnishing Textiles Curator

European Embroidered Textiles Curator

European Woven Textiles Curator

20th Century European Dress Curator

Glasgow School of Art and Glasgow Style Textiles Curator

European Performance Costume Curator

European Printed Textiles Curator

European Regional Dress Curator

European Religious Dress Curator

European Sports and Leisure Wear Curator

European Lace Curator

European Motoring Wear Curator

17th Century Bags and Purses Curator

European Men's Wear 1770–1800 Curator

Motoring Costume Curator

European Men's Wear 1800–1850 Curator