Members' book club
About
Join art critic and author Laura Cumming in a conversation with art historian Richard Stemp, where they discuss the rich and sentimental book, 'Thunderclap'.
Laura's father, the artist James Cumming, loved Dutch art. From this, Laura’s own passion bloomed. The story begins with the tragic events of the 1654 gunpowder explosion in the Dutch city of Delft. A disaster that killed many, including the young artist, Carel Fabritious, whose paintings resonated with Laura alongside the works of other Dutch painters – Rembrandt, Vermeer, Frans Hals and more.
Discover how Laura weaves together the works of incredible 17th century Netherlandish painters with her and her father's shared love of art. Look deeply with Laura and Richard and discover all the things a painting may mean.
This event is part of our Members’ book club. Read more about ‘Thunderclap’ .
'Thunderclap' was shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction 2024 and winner of the Writers' Prize 2024 for Non-Fiction.
You can find this book in the Getty Entrance Gallery shop.
Speakers
Laura Cumming has been chief art critic of the Observer since 1999. Her books include 'A Face to the World: on Self-Portraits' (2009) and 'The Vanishing Man: in Pursuit of Velázquez' (2016) which won the James Tait Black Biography Prize. Her family memoir 'On Chapel Sands: My Mother and other Missing Persons' (2019) was a Sunday Times best-seller, shortlisted for the Baillie Gifford, Costa and Rathbone's Folio prizes. 'Thunderclap' was shortlisted for the inaugural Women's Prize for Non-Fiction and won the 2024 Writer's Prize for Non-Fiction.
Richard Stemp graduated from Clare College, Cambridge with a degree in Natural Sciences and the History of Art, and returned to complete a PhD on Sculpture in Ferrara in the Fifteenth Century. After a year at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts he has shared his time between art and acting. He has worked for the National Gallery in various capacities for three decades, and has also worked on a regular basis at Tates Modern and Britain, the Wallace Collection, Buckingham Palace, and the V&A, as well as teaching on-site across Europe with Art History Abroad.
Thunderclap - Art and life & sudden death
Members' book club
Free for Members
This is an online event, exclusive to Members, hosted on Zoom.
Members, please book your free ticket to access this event. You will receive an E-ticket with instructions on how to access your online events, films and resources via your National Gallery account. Only one ticket can be booked per account.
