Ian Jenkins – The Commencement of Real Art: 200 Years of Drawing the Elgin Marbles

The year 2016 marks the bicentenary of the acquisition of the Elgin Marbles by the British Museum. Over the years, artistic interest in the Marbles has often centred on the desire to capture their especial genius in drawings on paper. It is sometimes said that when the sculptures were first shown in London,  they caused a revolution in art. This is not the case. The sculptures certainly influenced taste and art theory, but only later in the nineteenth century did they realise their full potential as exemplars of art practice.

Dr Ian Jenkins OBE FSA will explore this and other themes in the continuing story of the Marbles. He is author of many books and articles on all aspects of the Marbles.