Opium: Seduction, Greed, Art

Platinum priority booking goes on sale on Tuesday 11 February at 10am. Gold priority booking goes on sale on Wednesday 12 February. Friends priority booking goes on sale on Thursday 13 February. Tickets go on general sale on Tuesday 25 February at 10am.

We’re delighted to be joining with the Arts Society, Newbury again this year for this fascinating lecture looking at the influence of Opium on the lives and creations of many artists.

Amanda Herries read Archaeology and Anthropology at Cambridge, and worked as curator at the Museum of London before moving to Japan, lecturing and writing on Oriental/Western cross-culture and artistic influences. The source of the stuff of dreams, the poppy is a beautiful, fragile flower with immense power. Opium (from the Greek ‘opion’ – poppy juice) is a hypnotic bringer of sleep, delightful lethargy and relief from pain. It is also highly addictive. Greed led to the introduction of this hugely desirable substance first to China, and then to Europe. The beguiling seduction of its effects led to its use to quieten troubled minds and calm agitated children and babies. Its use, often by those with troubled minds, led to the creation of great works of art in music, art and literature. Social and art history meet as this lecture unfolds.