The Sarcophagus of Seti I is perhaps the most curious object in Sir John Soane’s collection. Since it was rediscovered by Giovanni Belzoni in 1817, this extraordinary object has had a fascination all its own.

In an illustrated lecture, Joanna Tinworth, who curated an exhibition to mark the bicentenary of the sarcophagus’s re-discovery in 2017, will explore ways in which this fascination was made manifest. The discovery gripped the imagination of the Georgian public and it was the subject of possibly the first exhibition organised around an ancient Egyptian theme in 1821. Soane followed it with interest for years before purchasing it and a nineteenth-century Curator of the Museum was depicted studying it. The talk will present drawings and objects from the Museum’s collection not normally on public display.

In Focus is a series of lunchtime talks with Sir John Soane’s Museum curators and conservators in which they select an item from Soane’s vast and eclectic collection for an in-depth investigation. You will hear about the history and provenance of objects collected by Soane and have an opportunity to examine at close hand works from the collection not normally on display.

This event is now sold out.

About the Speaker

Joanna Tinworth has worked at Sir John Soane’s Museum since 2016, first as Exhibitions Curator. She curated a diverse range of exhibitions from Sarah Lucas at the Soane (2016) and Marc Quinn, Drawn from Life (2017) to Egypt Uncovered: Belzoni and the tomb of Pharaoh Seti I (2017). Her last project was Hogarth: Place and Progress (2019). Working with Prof. David Bindman, the critically acclaimed 5* sell-out exhibition brought together all of Hogarth’s painted Modern Moral Subjects for the first time.

Since January 2020 as Curator, (Collections) she works on Sir John Soane’s collection of over 3,000 Works of Art and Antiquities, researching, recording and sharing with the public the history of this unique collection.

About the Event

Please note that this event takes place in the Museum's Seminar Room at Number 14 Lincoln's Inn Fields. No food or drink is permitted in the room. Your confirmation email serves as your ticket.

We are in a Grade I listed, 19th-century building, so access is not always straightforward. If you require step-free access or extra assistance, please contact us in advance of your booking on admin@soane.org.uk or 020 7405 2107.

Image: View of the Egyptian Sarcophagus – looking towards the foot of the interior, 21 July 1825, SM vol 82 / 46