Lesley Fitton OBE

The gleaming white marble of Greek and Roman sculpture is firmly fixed in our minds, and it is difficult to think beyond the whiteness – and the sense of Classical purity – that we perceive in such works. But we are wrong. Most sculptures were originally painted in bright colours, and would have been seen very differently from the way in which we see them today. This talk discusses the modern techniques used to detect and reconstruct the painting of ancient sculpture, and the ways in which adding back lost colour changes our perception of the Classical world.

Lesley is a British classical archaeologist and formerly the Keeper of the Department of Greece and Rome at the British Museum, and the first woman to hold this role. She is particularly known for her work on the Minoans, the Cyclades, and the Greek Bronze Age. She was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 1999, and was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2021 New Year Honours for services to museums and the arts.

Talent, achievement, accolade, and credentials are visual signs of success in our society. But today’s talk will focus on the hidden ingredient of success that is not often spoken about. Consistency.

Shermara is Principal Officer for Pentecostal, Charismatic and Multi-cultural Relations at Churches Together in England (CTE), where she leads CTE’s work amongst Pentecostal and Charismatic churches, as well as facilitating CTE’s new Racial Justice Working Group.