Our People

BA(Hons) MA, MLitt, RICS

Lucy Charles began her career with Christie’s auction house progressing to the Guggenheim Museum, Venice before becoming an independent Curator, Art Dealer and Art Market Professional (specialising in art market law and economics). Lucy has been providing art advisory services for her clients in order to build private collections (including commissioning art) in a career spanning thirty years experience. She established Galerie Betty Charles in 2025 building on her work in central Europe within smaller private Foundations and Collections.

As a RICS registered Valuer and Mediator, she is able to help clients who need help with probate valuations on pieces of art and decorative art within her specialism of Modern and Contemporary art (approximately 1882 - present day). She advises galleries and museums worldwide, negotiating fees and commissioning, acquisition and deaccessions of modern and contemporary pieces. She is called upon as an expert witness and regularly advises on a high profile cases of title and authentication. Her experience in researching, exhibition curating, authenticating and cataloguing is wide ranging and her workload is often varied. 

Lucy’s career as a Curator includes curating individual exhibitions across Europe, preferring to work with smaller museums and galleries with interesting permanent collections, breathing fresh life into the space when juxtaposing Modern pictures with more contemporary pieces. She has a passion for working with artists who are in mid-career and established and have honed their skills as an artist. She also enjoys breathing new life and bringing back into the market, Modern works which have been previously overlooked .

Lucy’s contribution as a NED includes the Charity Committee of the Worshipful Company of Art Scholars, (a London Livery Company) which seeks to distribute funds to individuals and institutions which align with the principles of art scholarship.

Lucy is also on the Art Market Steering Group of the Association For Art History which assists in helping to raise awareness of career opportunities in the art trade and to facilitate entry into it. The focus of the Group’s work is on pre-university students, undergraduate students and those interested in making a career transition into the commercial art sector.

Lucy E. Charles