Spring lectures start

Hugh Belsey (right) with the new Director of Gainsborough's House Mark Bills

Spring lectures at Gainsborough's House started today.

This year the series is called Discovering Gainsborough and his Time and each talk focusses on an aspect of the eighteenth century,


There is a great line up of speakers who are coming from as far away as the Ashmoleon Museum in Oxford,  They are speaking on subjects as diverse as eighteenth century drinking habits, eighteenth century furniture, The Grand Tour, and the Nash drawings collection at the Sir John Soane Museum in London.

Today's talk, on new discoveries in Gainsborough portraiture by Hugh Belsey, former Curator of Gainsborough's House was predictably a sell out.  It was good to see Hugh at the House once again and interesting to see pictures of the unknown works that he has discovered while compiling the definitive catalogue of the artist's 900 or so portraits for the Paul Mellon Centre. 

I understand that tickets are still available for some of the talks.  They can be bought from Reception at the Museum, or  by calling 01787 372958.  Credit cards are taken.