Explore how European artists interpreted and represented the Virgin Mary in art. From Renaissance Italy to Counter-Reformation Spain and beyond, in monumental paintings and in intimate devotional objects, Mary’s image has been a steadfast and complex presence in Christian visual culture. By interweaving art history and theology, we’ll consider the story of Mary’s unique life, its many meanings, and how this has manifested in artworks seen throughout the Wallace Collection.

About the speaker: Ayla Lepine is the Associate Rector at St James’s Piccadilly. She has a PhD in art history from the Courtauld Institute of Art and has held academic posts focusing on theology and the visual arts at Yale and the National Gallery, where she co-curated the exhibition Fruits of the Spirit: Art from the Heart. She publishes and lectures widely, and is a Visiting Fellow at King’s College London. Her book, Women, Art, God, will be published in 2026.

Take part at the museum: This course will take place in the Theatre, Lower Ground Floor. Participants taking part at the museum are encouraged to visit the galleries in their own time afterwards.

Watch online: This talk will also be broadcast live from the museum. Online ticketholders will be emailed a link to join 24 hours in advance. Ticketholders will also receive a link to view a recording of the talk, which will be available for two weeks only.