It was all so much simpler in the ancient world. This talk will consider the phenomenon of tourism in the Classical World, and will examine from a moral, cultural and ideological perspective the accounts of those who travelled for pleasure before the era of mass tourism began. The possibility that an important Old Master painting is about to be discovered can lead to the uneasy meeting of the materials scientist and the connoisseur. Technical examinations, including scientific analysis are often regarded with suspicion, not only by many of those who buy and sell works of art, but by academics also. Looking at particular cases, this talk explores the relative value of technical evidence and its potential contribution to the history of art.
League tables are everywhere.
Recent health scandals, such as the inappropriately high death rate in paediatric cardiac surgery, have encouraged the Government and various professional bodies, including the General Medical Council, to review their surveillance mechanisms so that under-performance might be recognised. In New York all cardiac surgeons, by law, have to publish their thirty-day mortality rates, which are made available to the public.