THE life and works of a Rococo artist are the subjects of an illustrated lecture taking place near Ilminster in October.

The intriguing drawings and watercolours of Thomas Robins the Elder (1716-1770) provide a rare glimpse into the Rococo gardens of the mid-18th century, when Gothic summerhouses, Chinese pavilions, and Turkish tents were all the rage.

But the talk, ‘Nature’s Favourite Child’, given by Dr Cathryn Spence, is also part detective story as she’ll reveal how she attempted to track down every site Robins sketched, including in Bath, where he produced a wonderful record of the city as it was transformed into the Georgian marvel we know today, and in Dorset.

She will also show how his early career as a fan painter influenced his charming paintings of butterflies, flowers, and birds, images he also used as borders around his gouaches.

Chard & Ilminster News:

The event, at Monk’s Yard on Wednesday, October 19 at 2pm, has been organised by the Somerset Gardens Trust, the conservation and education charity, and is open to everyone.

For more details, including how to book tickets which are £15 each including coffee, please see the website www.somersetgardenstrust.org.uk and click on the events tab.

Cathryn Spence’s recent book ‘Nature’s Favourite Child: Thomas Robins and the Art of the Georgian Garden’ is the culmination of more than 15 years of research and has won critical acclaim.

She is a museum professional and historic gardens and building consultant; for the last seven years, she has worked with the team at Painswick Rococo Garden in Gloucestershire, a site restored using Robins’ paintings, advising on the ongoing conservation of the garden.