ABSTRACT
When Sir Timothy Clifford retired from the National Gallery of Scotland in 2005, an exhibition, Choice: Twenty-one Years of Collecting for Scotland, celebrated his years as director. The catalogue presents the challenges, triumphs and frustrations of his role in building the national collection. Books provide an unassailable space for the presentation of individual messages. Most guides and catalogues include a text from the museum director. While there are similarities between these texts—sponsors, contributing staff and writers are usually thanked, notable lenders and government support in the form of insurance underwriting are acknowledged—in some cases, directors avail themselves of the opportunity for a timely public message. The functions of books and the agency of their producers offer a contribution to the debate on the authority and power of museums. A modern book edition is fixed by contemporary editorial practices, and much of the authority of books is derived from editorial control.
