Zurbarán: Last thoughts

Event information

• Type: Talks & conversations: Talk
• Date: Wednesday, 19 August 2026
• Tickets: From £20
• Location: The National Gallery
• Address: Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5DN, UK
• Official page: https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/events/zurbaran-last-thoughts-19-08-2026

Details

About

Reflect on the powerful works and enduring legacy of Francisco de Zurbarán in this reflective take on the Gallery’s 2026 exhibition, Zurbarán, the first in the UK devoted to the Spanish artist.

We take to the Supporters House to unpack how these great paintings were brought to London and what that meant for the Gallery.

Zurbaran’s paintings invite viewers into moments of quiet intensity. In this talk, expert guide Tim Maddison will be exploring the spiritual depth that defined his pieces, offering an intimate look at the artist’s lasting impact on the world of Baroque painting.

Tim Maddison

Tim Maddison is an accredited expert guide. Maddison completed the Sotheby's Works of Art Course after university, before spending the next five years working at Sotheby's and Phillips Bond Street, surrounded by an ever-changing carousel of treasures. This embedded a love for works of art, exhibitions and galleries. Maddison then went on to work as a dealer in vintage film posters, Americana and Art Deco, before opening London's first public gallery for vintage film and music posters. In his youth his favourite painting at the National Gallery was, 'The Family of Darius before Alexander', and he never imagined that decades later he would have the privilege of sharing its delights and that of so many other favourites with visitors.