Speaker: Philip Stott
Emeritus Professor Philip Stott is a former chair and a member of the U3AC. As an artist employing watercolour, dry pastels, and charcoal, he learns constantly from the distinctive genre and colour palette of Gwen John, whose work he has long admired. He is especially interested in exploring the importance of C20th women artists such as John, Modersohn-Becker, Tirzah Garwood, and Laura Knight.
2026 witnessed the National Museum Cardiff’s major retrospective of the ‘strange beauties’ of Welsh-born artist, Gwen John (1876-1939). This talk examines the life and work of the artist, now regarded as one of the most significant of the C20th. Focusing on London and France, we explore John’s relationships with friends and leading cultural figures, including younger brother, Augustus, Modersohn-Becker, Picasso, Rilke, and Whistler; her impassioned affair with Auguste Rodin; and her conversion to Catholicism. While playing a key role in promoting the visibility of women artists, John always sought an intimate inner life devoting herself entirely to her unique art.
18 Nov 2026
2:15 pm
Hybrid: via Zoom, and U3AC, Pink room (pre-booking required)