The artists Charles Shannon and Charles Ricketts met when they were teenagers studying in London in 1882 and became partners in both art and life, until Rickett’s death in 1931. Their lives were defined by their commitment to beauty and art. They were stalwarts of the Aesthetic movement and passionate advocates and collectors of Pre-Raphaelite works, antiquities and old-master prints. This talk will explore the life and work of both artists, with a focus on their artistic ethos and relationship as expressed in Shannon’s Man with a Greek Vase. This talk has been inspired by artists’ works which are currently on display as part of Modern Pre-Raphaelite Visionaries: British Art 1880-1930 at Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum until 18th September 2022.

Jane Simpkiss has been the Fine Art Curator at Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum since 2020. In her role, she oversees the care, interpretation and display of the permanent art collection and develops and manages the Gallery’s temporary art exhibitions. She has curated a number of exhibitions and displays including Outgrowing: Flowers and Female artists, 1700-now; Modern Mercia: Post-war art in Coventry and Warwickshire; 1945-1970 and Reunited: Shannon, Ricketts and their Greek Vase. She has also co-curated the exhibition Modern Pre-Raphaelite Visionaries: British Art 1880-1930. Her research is particularly focused on British portraiture and the role of women as artists and subjects in British painting.