Music & Art | Picturing Sound: Music and Noise in Painting

Discover the art of painting music and noise in this in-depth but accessible talk. with Mariska Beekenkamp-Wladimiroff.

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.

Mariska Beekenkamp-Wladimiroff is the founder of Art Historical London, a cultural events organisation aimed at exploring well-known and much-loved collections with fresh eyes. She holds both a BA and MA in Art History, where she majored in art from the 17th century Dutch Baroque, at the Courtauld Institute of Arts in London. She has been a lecturer for a number of prestigious organisations including the London Art History Society, Orleans House Gallery, Dulwich Picture Gallery and arts education society NAFDAS.

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

This talk will last an hour. Tickets are available to watch either ONLINE or IN-PERSON at the Foundling Museum; in-person tickets include Museum entry. The online recording will be available to watch for 1 month.