When he arrived there was “a staff of five, two resident custodians (one a carpenter) who hadn’t spoken to each other for three years, and the only activities were those organised by the Friends. Otherwise nothing happened, no exhibitions, no conservation programme", Waterfield recalled in a typically dry way. The small, historic gallery in south London, which is home to one of the finest collections of Old Masters in Britain, was "a very quiet, sad place”, he wrote. It was also in a financially parlous state. Waterfield handed over to his successors an institution restored to financial health with a higher profile, increased attendance, an award-winning education department as well as a new level of independence after the appointment of its first board of trustees. He had prepared the ground for the restoration and expansion of Sir John Soane's purpose-built gallery.

I just wanted to echo your comments on the terribly sad death of Giles Waterfield. I was fortunate enough to study under Giles at the Courtauld Institute of Art. Each of his seminars was packed full of fascinating information on the formation of museum collections and he presided over the sessions with warmth and humour. His breadth of knowledge and level of experience was remarkable. However, Giles was not just a great teacher - as the supervisor of my dissertation, he went above and beyond. He was full of ideas and never too busy to help, introducing me to his friends in prestigious institutions. He held supervisions in his charming house and his comments and advice were invaluable. When I completed he MA, Giles took the time to help me apply for a PhD. While he was getting ready for a dinner party at a friend’s house in the country, he rang me and patiently went through my application. I saw Giles only a few weeks ago at the National Gallery's Beyond Caravaggio exhibition – he was lovely and charming as always. Giles was a kind, witty and inspirational tutor. His unforgettable seminars on the history of museums, tours of various galleries, and supervision of my dissertation changed the direction of my life.