Aphrodite: The Art of Love Members' Talk

Dr Steve Kershaw is taking the stage at the Ashmolean Museum on Wednesday 28 October for a members' talk on Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty. It's part of the museum's Love & Legacy season, a whole run of talks, workshops and events built around their major exhibition Aphrodite: The Making of a Goddess, which opened on 8 October and runs through to 11 April 2027.

Kershaw is a classicist, and he'll be drawing on some of the rarely loaned objects on display in the exhibition to trace the myths and depictions of Aphrodite that flourished in Ancient Greece and later in the Roman world, where she was reincarnated as Venus. From there, he follows how representations of the goddess have metamorphosed since antiquity, through the Renaissance and beyond, and how she became such an enduring figure in art history. The Love & Legacy season as a whole looks at ancient myths of love and beauty, creativity and the stories artworks tell, and how ideas, traditions and practices have been shared through art and culture across generations.

The talk runs from 6 to 7pm in the Headley Lecture Theatre, with doors opening at 5.30pm. If you're coming in person, the museum asks that you meet at the St Giles entrance. There's also an online option via Zoom, though that one is exclusively for Ashmolean Members. Tickets are £20 for in-person and £10 for online, and booking is essential.