Seasonal Spotlight—Charles Beale (1631–1705)

Judith Mann leads a talk on Mary Beale's painting of Charles Beale at the Opal and Arthur H. Meyer Jr. Gallery 238 on Friday, November 27. The session is part of Festive Fridays, the gallery's series of events that run through the holiday season. Mann is a senior curator, so the talk comes from someone who knows the collection inside and out.

The painting at the center of it all is Mary Beale's portrait of Charles Beale, who lived from 1631 to 1705. Mary was a professional portrait painter in her own right, and this particular work is one of the pieces she painted of her husband. It's a look at a man from the late seventeenth century, seen through the eyes of the woman who knew him best. Mann's talk is an in-gallery session, meaning you'll be standing right there with the painting while she talks through it, rather than listening to a presentation in a separate room.

If you're not familiar with the Beales, they were a notable artistic couple of the era. Mary was one of the few women of her time to make a living as a professional painter, and she spent much of her career working in London. This portrait is a window into that world—the way she captured Charles, the style of the period, and the personal connection behind the brush. Having a curator walk you through it gives you a way into the work that you might miss if you just walked past it on your own.

The talk runs from 4:00 PM to 4:30 PM, so it's a short, focused half-hour. There's also a similar talk given earlier in the day at 2:00 PM, which gives you two different times to choose from depending on when you're around. Both are held in Gallery 238, right here in St. Louis.