"I WOULD NOT WISH FOR A STORM" - THE LANDSCAPE IN BRITISH ART AND LITERATURE

DR JOHNSON'S HOUSE LECTURE WITH HELEN WOOLLISON

Thursday 25 April, 12:45PM - 1:45PM • Dr Johnson's House, Gough Square

Join us this April for a Dr Johnson's House Lunchtime Lecture, sponsored by Fleet Street Quarter. Book your ticket via Eventbrite here.

The late 18th Century marks a significant change in attitudes to the natural landscape. As travel becomes more accessible, and the mountains and forests are no longer places to be feared, embracing nature’s great power and unpredictability develops a key place in British culture. This echoed through literature and paintings of the time, with the growth of the Romantic Movement and the concept of the sublime, in contrast to the Classical landscapes that came before.

Beginning with Samuel Johnson’s journey to the Hebrides in 1773, and finishing in the 21st Century’s artistic responses to climate change and land ownership, this lecture will explore how artists and writers have expressed the complex relationship the British have long had with the landscape.

About Helen Woollison

Helen Woollison studied History of Art at the University of Kent before completing her Masters at Birkbeck. She previously worked as Deputy Curator at Dr Johnson’s House and currently is an Associate Lecturer at UAL teaching the history and theory of photography on the BA Fashion Photography Degree.

Find out more and visit Dr Johnson's House on Gough Square.

Lunch will be provided to enjoy during the talk. You will also have the opportunity to explore the House afterwards, should you have enough time. The lecture will run 12:45 - 13:45. Please let us know of any dietary requirement at least 48 hours in advance if possible.

Image: J.M.W Turner, Staffa, Fingal's Cave, 1831 - 2, Courtesy Yale Center for Brisith Art, Paul Mellon Collection