author
C. Drury E. (Charles Drury Edward) Fortnum
1820–1899
An English collector and art historian whose eye for Renaissance ceramics and decorative arts helped shape one of Oxford’s great museum collections. He is best remembered for pairing deep scholarship with generous gifts to the Ashmolean Museum.
1 Audiobook
Maiolica
by C. Drury E. (Charles Drury Edward) Fortnum
About the author
Born in London in 1820, Charles Drury Edward Fortnum became an important English art collector, historian, and benefactor. He is often listed as C. Drury E. Fortnum, and his name is especially associated with the serious study of ceramics, bronzes, and other decorative arts.
Fortnum spent part of his early adult life in South Australia before returning to England, where collecting and research became central to his work. He wrote on art and antiquities and built a reputation as a knowledgeable specialist, particularly in Italian Renaissance material.
His lasting legacy is tied to Oxford: much of his collection was given to the Ashmolean Museum, where it greatly strengthened the museum’s holdings. Remembered as both a scholar and a donor, he helped make important works of art available for public study rather than keeping them only in private hands.