Wed, 15 Jun
|East Horsley Village Hall
The Artist Wives of Stanley Spencer
Learn about the wives and models of Stanley Spencer, who also painted in their own right. With Alan Read.
Time & location
15 Jun 2022, 10:30
East Horsley Village Hall, Kingston Ave, East Horsley, Leatherhead KT24 6QT
About the event
Visionary and eccentric, the worlds created in the paintings of Stanley Spencer are quite unique. Just as remarkable was his relationship with his two wives. Hilda Carline became his first wife in 1925. Capable of sensitive and tender portraits and Spencer-like landscapes Hilda’s career never fully progressed after her marriage. Spencer then met a Cookham woman, Patricia Preece. She too was an artist but less gifted than her ‘companion’ Dorothy Hepworth. Paintings by Dorothy were exhibited and sold as by Patricia.
Spencer became obsessed with Patricia but for her his only attractions were his celebrity status and money. Four days after divorcing Hilda in 1937 he married Patricia. But Patricia and Dorothy continued to live together, deluding the art world with their paintings and Spencer that he had a loving second wife. This lecture examines the art produced by this infamous group of artists, including some of Spencer’s most powerful paintings.
About the speaker
Alan Read holds Master’s and First Class Honours degrees in History of Art from Birkbeck College, University of London. Is a gallery guide at Tate Britain, Tate Modern and the National Portrait Gallery and has lectured at many galleries including the Dulwich Picture Gallery, Plymouth City Art Gallery and the NPG. He is also a London Blue Badge Guide and City of London Guide.
We hope to pair this lecture with an outing to the Spencer Gallery at Cookham (details and date to be confirmed).
This event is free to members.
Visitors are welcome to join us - £5 on the door.