This April, Croydon Town Hall opens its doors for a special series of talks exploring the hidden histories behind masterpieces from the National Gallery – now on display in Croydon as part of Art On Your Doorstep.
Across three evening lectures, leading historians, authors and curators will take a deep look at iconic paintings and the stories they carry.
Discover J.M.W. Turner’s complex relationship with the transatlantic slave trade in this lecture with leading art historian Sam Smiles on Tues 14 April.
While Turner’s famous painting The Slave Ship confronted viewers with the brutal realities faced by enslaved people during ocean crossings, his own early investment in a Jamaican ranch using enslaved labour reveals a more troubling side.
Smiles examines how Turner’s actions shape our view of his art and whether he is redeemed by his later support for abolition.
We will also explore how the art world relied on wealth from exploitation and question the place of graphic and violent imagery in visual arts.
Smiles is a renowned Turner specialist and author of Turner and the Slave Trade (2025).
The Mayor’s Parlour, Croydon Town Hall
Tuesday 14 April, 6.15pm – 7.30pm
Lead image description: This photo shows The Fighting Temeraire by J. M. W. Turner. A true-to-life reproduction is currently on display outside Coulsdon College, as part of The National Gallery: Art On Your Doorstep in Croydon.
Photo credit: Glenn Foster