An historian of art and architecture, René Villeneuve is the curator responsible for the collections of early Canadian art at the National Gallery of Canada since 1987. These include gold and silversmithery, painting, sculpture and furniture from the 17th to the 19th century. A specialist in the history of Canadian art and Western gold and silversmiths, he is also interested in the history of collections and collectors and patronage in Canada. In addition to the presentation and enrichment of the Museum's collection, he has organized various exhibitions, all accompanied by catalogs: The Treasure of the Great Century: Art and Architecture in Quebec City in the 17th Century (in collaboration with with Luc Noppen), From Baroque to Neo-Classicism: Sculpture in Quebec; Quebec silverware from the collection of the National Gallery of Canada; Théophile Hamel: Dominick Daly O'Meara; Lord Dalhousie: Patron and collector. He regularly publishes, participates in conferences and gives lectures on various aspects of art history and architecture, both in Canada and abroad.