An opportunity to explore in depth works from Abbot Hall’s permanent collection with a member of the Trust’s Curatorial or Education Team. Talks start at 2pm, last 20 minutes and are free with the price of admission.

12 & 26 March
Ben Nicholson: 1932 (crowned head: the queen)
In this painting, Ben Nicholson, one of the foremost British artists of the 20th century, demonstrates his veneration for his lover and future wife, the sculptor Barbara Hepworth.

09 & 23 April
Sir Joshua Reynolds: Portrait of an Officer (Said to be General Wolfe)
Reynolds was one of the most fashionable portrait painters of the 18th century, and was a great rival to George Romney, whose prices frequently undercut those of Reynolds. This new loan, from the Trustees of the Lowther Estate Trust, allows visitors to compare an excellent example of Reynolds’ portraiture with works from Abbot Hall’s significant collection of Romneys.

07 & 21 May
George Romney: Charlotte Smith
Local artist Romney established his reputation as a superb portraitist in the 18th century. This pastel is the only known portrait of Charlotte Smith, a Romantic writer praised by Wordsworth, and who was an important influence on the novels of Jane Austen and Charles Dickens.