Art Apothecary Art Talks
Join us for a series of engaging art history and creative talks, celebrating the stories, emotions, and ideas that shape art across time and practice. Each session offers a fresh perspective—whether uncovering the lives behind iconic works, exploring personal expression, or connecting deeply with the creative process. These talks invite you to discover, reflect, and be inspired by the richness and diversity of artistic experience.
The Women Who Shaped Matisse
Talk by Sophie Haydock – Author, Journalist & Festival Curator
What if the real story of Matisse isn’t told on the canvas, but in the lives of the women he left in its shadow? In this powerful and intimate talk, novelist and curator Sophie Haydock reveals the complex, often painful truths behind the artist’s most iconic work. Drawing on her acclaimed novel Madame Matisse (Penguin, 2025), she explores the lives of the women who shaped him: his devoted wife Amélie, his courageous daughter Marguerite, and Lydia Delectorskaya - the mysterious muse whose arrival led to an explosive ultimatum. This is a story of love, art and betrayal - and of the emotional legacies that history has too often ignored.