This lecture considers the nature and importance of Soutine’s portraits. Unlike his work in landscape and still life, which was mostly confined to the 1910s and 1920s, Soutine returned to portrait painting throughout his life. His portrait subjects range from early series of cooks and waiting staff (which have been particularly celebrated) to later and equally fascinating images of choirboys in the 1930s. The lecture also asks whether Soutine’s portraits can be considered ‘portraits’ in the traditional sense of term, since with only a few exceptions they do not represent named individuals. Finally, Soutine’s portraits will be explored in relation to his landscape and still life paintings in order to demonstrate the links between the genres in which he chose to work.

General admission: £5 plus booking fee (82p).