Victor Hugo, Octopus, 1866–69. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Département des Manuscrits.
Royal Academy of Arts curator of exhibitions, Sarah Lea, discusses Astonishing Things: The Drawings of Victor Hugo, including the genesis of the exhibition idea and its key themes of nature, architecture, and artistic innovation. This ARTscapades talk considers the relationship between Hugo's largely private artworks and his public fame as a writer and politician. Lea offers insights into a selection of the drawings currently on display from Hugo's early travel sketches of the 1840s, to his inky visions of romantic castles and abstract 'taches', which were to inspire subsequent generations of artists including the Symbolists, the Surrealists and artists of today including Antony Gormley RA and Tacita Dean RA.
Astonishing Things: The Drawings of Victor Hugo is at the Royal Academy of Arts from 21 March to 29 June 2025.
Proceeds from ARTscapades ticket sales benefit museums, galleries and other arts-based organisations and projects.
This is an online event hosted on Zoom which can be watched live, or on-demand for one month afterwards. You will receive your link to access the event in your email confirmation and the on-demand link after the event ends.