Through the looking glass: Mirrors and reflections in art
About
Throughout the history of art, painters have used reflections in a variety of ways: to portray a sitter from different angles or convey a moral message; or simply as a vehicle for technical proficiency in order to demonstrate the artist’s skill. A mirror could symbolise vanity and narcissism, but also prudence, truth or purity. How can we learn how to 'read' mirrors in paintings?
Join lecturer Siân Walters as we decipher a number of intriguing examples in the Gallery, from paintings such as 'The Rokeby Venus' and 'The Arnolfini Portrait', to lesser-known masterpieces by Pieter Codde, Luca Giordano and Valdés Leal.
Your Tutor
Siân Walters is an art historian and the director of Art History in Focus. She studied at Selwyn College, University of Cambridge and has been a lecturer at the National Gallery for over 20 years. She also studied at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena.
Her specialist areas of research are Italian painting, Spanish art and architecture, Flemish and Dutch painting and the relationship between dance and art. Siân also lectures for the Wallace Collection and the Arts Society and leads specialist art tours abroad. She was a lecturer at Surrey University for many years and has lived and worked in France and Italy.
Siân is currently writing a book for the National Gallery on still life paintings in the collection.
Lunchtime lecture
Through the looking glass: Mirrors and reflections in art
Free, drop-in session
Places are limited and available on a first come, first served basis.
This event will take place in Pigott Theatre located in the Sainsbury Wing.