Visions of Venice: Sir John Soane, Howard Hodgkin and Beyond — Caroline Campbell and Rebecca Lyons in Conversation
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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 2025
Visions of Venice: Sir John Soane, Howard Hodgkin and Beyond
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
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).
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.
Please note that although our Manor House remains open as normal, we are hosting our Wedding Open Day across the Manor space on 25th October 2025. Artworks in the Manor will be available as normal.
Please note that the Eating Room in Pitzhanger Manor will be closed at 2–2.45pm on Sunday 7 December for a private event. Artworks in the affected space will be temporarily off view, but General Admission continues as usual. All rooms will be open before and after this time during our regular opening hours.
Please note that Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery will close at 4pm on 11 December for a private event. Bella Pūglia Café will close at 4:30pm as usual, and the Pitzhanger Shop will remain open to the public until 5pm.
Please note that the Eating Room in Pitzhanger Manor will be closed at 1–3pm on Saturday 24 January for a private event. Artworks in the affected space will be temporarily off view, but General Admission continues as usual. All rooms will be open before and after this time during our regular opening hours.
Please note that there will be some slight disturbance to the Eating Room in Pitzhanger Manor and Pitzhanger Galleryat 3–5pm on Thursday 11 December for a private event. The rooms will remain open to the public, and General Admission continues as usual.
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