17 October, 2025
John Michael Wright – Conservation and Context
Join us for a memorable evening at Hatfield House as we welcome back John Michael Wright’s 17th-century portrait of James Cecil, 4th Earl of Salisbury, and his sister Catherine as young children, following recent conservation work.
The event will feature a panel of experts who will explore the painting’s restoration within the broader context of Wright’s oeuvre and 17th-century British material culture. This is a rare opportunity to view an important example of Wright’s work, which is not normally on public display.
Event Details:
- Date: Friday 17th October
- Time: 6pm until 9pm
- Location: Hatfield House, Hatfield Park
- Ticket Price: £50
This exclusive event will feature talks from four eminent scholars and professionals:
- Nicole Ryder: Nicole studied Art History and painting conservation at the Courtauld Institute and the Tate Gallery, and has worked with major UK and international collections, including the National Trust, Wallace Collection, Dulwich Picture Gallery, Knole, and Hatfield Park.
- Dr Susan North: Curator of Fashion before 1800 at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, she has contributed to several V&A publications and has published numerous articles and chapters on historical dress. Her book, Sweet and Clean? Bodies and Clothes in Early Modern England (Oxford University Press, 2020), won the American Historical Association’s Leo Gershoy Award in 2021.
- Karen Hearn FSA: Former Curator at Tate Britain (1992–2012), and now Honorary Professor at UCL. Her research focuses on Tudor and Stuart British art, curating major exhibitions including Dynasties (1995), Van Dyck & Britain (2009), and Portraying Pregnancy (2020). Her work spans writing, teaching, and broadcasting.
- Holly Tatham: Assistant Curator at Young V&A in Bethnal Green, east London, Holly co-curated the museum’s Play Gallery and worked for five years on the award-winning transformation of the V&A Museum of Childhood into Young V&A. Her specialist knowledge lies in curatorial practice and museum interpretation for young audiences.
Arrival Time: From 6pm for a champagne reception in The Armoury.
Lecture: Starts at 6:30pm, followed by a Q&A session, concluding the event at 9pm.
How to Book:
Spaces for this exclusive event are limited. Click the link to the right to purchase tickets.
