Learn how Ovid’s outstanding narrative poem, Metamorphoses, inspired artists including Titian, Salvator Rosa and Claude to create some of the greatest Western European artworks, with prime examples located in the Wallace Collection.

Ovid’s retelling of stories relating to the gods and goddesses of classical antiquity involved intriguing references to the subject of transformation. We’ll see how centuries later, his epic poem fired the imagination of artists, challenging them to find compelling and innovative visual responses to his written word. Alongside paintings, we’ll consider how Metamorphoses has manifested in sculpture, porcelain, furniture and clocks.

About the speaker: Clare Ford-Wille was an Associate Lecturer at Birkbeck College, University of London and lectures regularly for many additional institutions including the V&A, the National Trust, The Arts Society, the Art Fund as well as leading groups to places of art historical interest in Europe, Armenia and the USA.

Take part at the museum: This course will take place in the Theatre, Lower Ground Floor. Participants taking part at the museum are encouraged to visit the galleries in their own time afterwards.

Watch online: This talk will also be broadcast live from the museum via Zoom. Online ticketholders will be emailed a link to join 24 hours in advance. Ticketholders will also receive a link to view a recording of the talk, which will be available for two weeks only.