A Secular Pilgrimage: Humanist responses to painting - John Hubbard

A talk by John Hubbard.

In this richly illustrated account of a lifetime's engagement with art John Hubbard explores the pleasures and rewards of looking at paintings from several eras, both sacred and secular and considers how a humanist might respond to different cultural contexts and styles. The talk will also develop the idea of 'secular pilgrimage' in relation to individual artists, their lives and works, with particular reference to Sisley, Monet, Pissarro and Van Gogh. These journeys may be seen to embrace both the simply touristic as well as an individual's informal education, providing something deeper than mere cultural capital.

John Hubbard is a retired English teacher and a member of Dorset Humanists. He teaches literature and drama at Bournemouth U3A.