The Haunted Landscape: Reading M. R. James, Visually with Dr Matthew Bowman
Is it possible to speak of the writer M. R. James as one of the finest landscape artists of the early 20th century? His revered ghost stories are often more about the haunting of place than of people. With Suffolk dominating his purview, the pastoral, bucolic landscape we may associate with local painters such as Gainsborough, Constable, and Munnings is reframed as darkened by ghostly presences. This talk will explore James as landscape artist, unearthing the uncanny in our environs through his ghost stories.
Matthew Bowman lectures in fine art at the University of Suffolk and regularly writes art criticism for Art Monthly as well as publishing extensively in a variety of peer-reviewed journals. His academic research predominantly focuses on histories and philosophies of art criticism as well as twentieth century and contemporary art, aesthetics, and philosophy in the USA and Europe. He is currently completing his book October and the Expanded Field of Art and Criticism
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Address
Castle Hill, Dedham, Colchester, Essex, CO7 6AZ
01206 322127
Opening times
2nd April to 26th October 2025
Wednesday to Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays
1.30pm to 4.30pm
Cafe in the garden 10am to 4.30pm
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