STEP-FREE ACCESS TEMPORARILY RESTRICTED

Please note that the lift at Pitzhanger Manor is currently out of order until further notice following a safety inspection.

The Manor and exhibitions remain open as usual, and all floors continue to be accessible via stairs. However, visitors who require step-free access will currently only be able to access the lower ground level (via the Colonnade), the Wonder Room, and the Monk’s Dining Room.

Pitzhanger Gallery remains fully accessible, with lift access functioning as usual.

We are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible and apologise for the inconvenience caused.

For access enquiries, please contact foh@pitzhanger.org.uk before your visit.

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Canaletto (1697–1768), ‘Riva degli schiavoni, Venice’, c.1734-35. Oil on canvas, 126.2×204.6cm. Courtesy of Sir John Soane Museum. Museum number: P66.

2026

5 February 2026

Visions of Venice: Sir John Soane, Howard Hodgkin and Beyond

2026

5 February 2026

Visions of Venice: Sir John Soane, Howard Hodgkin and Beyond

Overview

Join us for an evening conversation exploring Venice as a powerful and enduring source of artistic inspiration across the centuries.

Pitzhanger Director Rebecca Lyons is joined by Dr Caroline Campbell, Director of the National Gallery of Ireland, to trace artists’ and collectors’ fascination with Venice. From the Renaissance artists’ interest in effects of atmosphere, colour and light, to the British Grand Tour and the collecting of painted views of the city by figures such as Sir John Soane, the conversation considers Venice as a place for art and artists as well as the culturally curious. It also explores the playful spectacle of eighteenth-century Carnival, and Venice’s continuing relevance today as a global centre for contemporary art and architecture, shaped by Biennales, exhibitions and new cultural foundations.

Set against the backdrop of the current exhibition Howard Hodgkin: In a Public Garden, this talk considers how Venice has inspired artists, collectors, and institutions alike, revealing the city’s unique capacity to bridge history and the present.

Date & Time

Thursday 5 February 2026
6.45–7.45pm
Doors open at 6.30pm

Venue

Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery
Ealing Green, London W5 5EQ

Tickets

£14 standard
£10 Students and Under-25s
Advance booking required

Speakers

A woman wearing a patterned scarf stands smiling in a grand, softly lit historic hall with sweeping staircases behind her.

Dr Caroline Campbell has been Director of the National Gallery of Ireland since 2022. Previously Director of Collections and Research at the National Gallery, London, she has held curatorial roles at the Ashmolean Museum, the Courtauld Gallery and the National Gallery. A specialist in European and Italian Renaissance art, she has curated major exhibitions including several on Renaissance Venice, and Siena: The Rise of Painting, winner of the Apollo Exhibition of the Year Prize 2025. She is the author of The Power of Art (2023).

Black-and-white portrait of a woman with arms crossed, softly lit, against a blurred interior background.

Rebecca Lyons is the Director of Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery.

Remarks

  • Seating is unreserved and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • Latecomers may be admitted at a suitable break in the programme.
  • The event may be photographed or filmed for marketing and archival purposes. Please let us know if you would not like to be photographed.
  • Please contact us in advance if you have any access requirements; we are happy to help.

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Tags   Events Howard Hodgkin Talks Thursday Lates

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Howard Hodgkin at Pitzhanger

Contact Us

Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery
Ealing Green, London W5 5EQ

Ticketing, Opening Hours and Tour Enquiries: foh@pitzhanger.org.uk
Retail Enquires: retail@pitzhanger.org.uk

Reception: 020 3985 8888
Venue Hire: 020 3994 0966
Office: 020 3994 0967

Wednesday - Sunday: 10:00 - 17:00
First Thursday of the month: 10:00 - 20:00
Monday - Tuesday: Closed
Bank Holidays: 10:00 - 17:00

Last admissions one hour before closing

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