The Arts Society, Dumfries and Galloway
A Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) no. SCO52817
Press Release
The September Lecture from the Arts Society of Dumfries and Galloway (TASDAG) turns a welcome spotlight on renowned British artist J.M.W.Turner. Focusing on what may be a less well-known area of Turner’s work – his interest in architecture – the Lecture is set to appeal to art-lovers and artists alike, including those with an interest in buildings and structures, as seen within some of Turner’s most beautiful paintings.
Thanks to his relatively early success as an artist, Turner was, in his thirties, quite a wealthy man. This allowed him to fulfil a long-held dream of designing and building a small villa on the River Thames. To him it provided a golden opportunity to fulfil his love of architecture while also giving him a welcome escape from his frenetic life in London.
The compelling history of Turner’s ‘rural retreat’ on the Thames will be recounted in this Lecture and the major conservation project that has rescued it.
Our Guest Lecturer is Mary Rose Rivett-Carnac who gained an MA (Distinction) in Victorian Art and Literature at Royal Holloway, University of London. Alongside her abiding interest in J.M.W. Turner, Mary Rose Rivett-Carnac is an accredited Lecturer for the Arts Society for over a decade; a Volunteer Guide at Turner’s house in Twickenham and Chair of the Friends of Turner’s House. In addition, our Lecturer is a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Arts Scholars, one of the City of London’s livery companies.
The monthly TASDAG Lectures take place on the second Tuesday of the month, and the J.M.W. Turner Lecture is on September 9th 2025 in the Gilchrist Room, Easterbrook Hall, The Crichton, DG1 4TA. (Coffee and Tea from 10.30am)
More information about Lectures, events and membership is available from www.tasdag.org.uk
