Benedict Read died suddenly on 20 October 2016. His influence on art-history in the field of sculpture, and his ground-breaking authoritative volume, Victorian Sculpture (1982) were hugely important. He was instrumental in bringing about a sea-change in academic attitudes towards both the nineteenth century and to sculpture. This memorial Festschrift published by the PMSA of which Ben was a founder, former Chairman and trustee, celebrates his academic achievement, his considerable contribution to scholarship and the generosity of spirit with which he shared his knowledge. It is a powerful testament to the inspiration of a remarkable person. Sculpting Art History: Essays in Memory of Benedict Read contains 30 essays by friends, former students and colleagues - James Lomax, Marjorie Trusted, Julius Bryant, Rowan Bailey, Caroline Hedengren-Dillon, Jykri Suikonen, Joanna Barnes and Harriet Israel, Alison Inglis, Philip Ward-Jackson, Sandra Berresford, Ann Compton, Barbara Bryant, Claudine Mitchell, Alison Glew, Jane Winfrey, Andrew Jezzard, Juliette Peers, Mary Ann Steggles, Michael Paraskos, Sarah Crellin, Paula Murphy, Mark Stocker, Patrick Eyres, Katharine Eustace, Jonathan Black, Gerardine Mulcahy-Parker, Gillian Whiteley, Charles Avery and Jacqueline Banerjee together with 17 appreciations by Ben's family, friends and colleagues.

Te Papa holds New Zealand's national art collection, whose origins date back to 1865 and the establishment of the then Colonial Museum (later the Dominion and then the National Museum). Built up over the years by a succession of directors and curators, the collection's 40,000 works track New Zealand history and the art movements within it. In this generous book, Te Papa's curators and a wide range of other expert art writers showcase the strengths of the New Zealand art collection by discussing around 270 works. From very early colonial work through to recent acquisitions, and including photography, their essays offer insights into the art, the artists and the context and issues that drove them. The book is complemented by biographies of all the featured artists, making it a valuable resource.