Picturing Sound: The Representation of Music and Noise in Painting

How do painters make us hear with our eyes? This lecture explores the imaginative strategies artists have used to visualise music and noise, from scientific inspirations and synaesthetic thinking to the open mouths of singers caught mid-note. Through these varied approaches, painters invite us to imagine the sounds that accompany their images. Tracing examples across different periods, we will see how painting transforms the invisible vibrations of sound into vivid, resonant scenes, where music or noise is either the central subject or a crucial element of the moment depicted.

The talk will serve as an introduction to the topic, and no prior knowledge is necessary to join us! Attend live at the Foundling Museum or stream online from your sofa. This event is part of the public programming for teh Foundling Museum's exhibition A Grand Chorus: The Power of Music.

This talk is organised in partnership with the Foundling Museum…