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09 November 2026Dame Laura Knight
14 December 2026Britain vs the Bauhaus: modern design in the 1930s
10 January 2027Titian and his influence on Western Art
08 February 2027The Art of Art Deco
08 March 2027The Car in Art and the Car as Art
12 April 2027Papers from Peking: Chinese Wallpaper 1700-2000
10 May 2027Hot Stuff: The Birth of Studio Glass
14 June 2027Scandinavian Modern: Behind the Scenes

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Lecture: Dame Laura Knight Lecturer: Rosalind Whyte Monday 09 November 2026

In 1936 Dame Laura Knight became the first woman to be elected as a full member of the Royal Academy in London, 168 years after its establishment.  In her extraordinary career she painted landscapes, portraits and seascapes, as well as scenes from the circus, the ballet and the theatre.  She was the only woman to be given War Commissions in both the First and Second World Wars and the only British artist to cover the Nuremberg Trials of 1946.  This lecture provides an overview of her fascinating career and some of the remarkable achievements of her long life.

Rosalind Whyte

Rosalind gained a BA and MA from Goldsmith’s College, and an MA (distinction) from Birkbeck College. She is an experienced guide at Tate Britain, Tate Modern, the Royal Academy and Greenwich and lectures at the Tate, to independent art societies and on cruises.

The doors and the bar at Thornden Hall Arts Centre are open from 18.45; talks start at 19.30 lasting an hour with additional  time for Q & As. Talks are free for members; visitors pay £8 on the evening - card only, All members and visitors need to sign in at the respective desks in the foyer for each talk.

Image credit

Laura Knight, On the Cliffs 1917 Private Collection via Creative Commons