Friends’ Lecture: Curator’s Introduction – Rubens & Women Exhibition

INTRODUCTION

This autumn sees the opening of a major exhibition at Dulwich Picture Gallery in London dedicated to Rubens’ paintings and drawings of women. We are delighted to welcome back exhibition curator Dr Amy Orrock who will present a special “sneak preview” of the exhibition for our Friends programme, in advance of its opening on 27th September.

The talk is a complimentary event for Friends of Art History in Focus only. Click here if you would like to join Friends of Art History in Focus and attend this event.

SUMMARY

The Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640) is famed for his paintings of women, from majestic portraits of aristocratic ladies to more personal studies of family members as well as sumptuous, fleshy nudes. This exhibition brings together a wide selection of paintings, drawings and archival material which highlight the different sides of Rubens’ creative genius, drawing upon not only real likenesses but also those from his imagination, and exploring the significance of women in his life from models and muses to patrons and relations. Featuring masterpieces from international and private collections, many of which will be appearing in the UK for the first time, this will be one of the highlights of 2023’s exhibition calendar – don’t miss it!

Dr Orrock is the Senior Curator at Compton Verney Art Gallery & Park. She has published and lectured widely on sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Northern European art and curated ‘Cranach: Artist and Innovator’ (Compton Verney, 2020), ‘Painting Childhood: From Holbein to Freud’ (Compton Verney, 2019) and ‘Bruegel: Defining a Dynasty’ (The Holburne Museum, 2017).  Art History in Focus members joined her for private tours of two of these exhibitions and we are delighted that she can join us once more, this time online.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

This is a live-streamed talk at 6.00pm (UK time).  Tune in from anywhere in the world to watch or enjoy a recorded version of the lecture which can be accessed afterwards. The event will last approximately one hour.

The lecture will allow Friends to participate and ask questions using webcams and microphones (if you would like to use these) during an informal Q&A and discussion after the lecture.