One Byron, Three Brontes and Two Beckhams

Richard Howells’ ‘Philosphy Salon’ at the National Potrtait Gallery was picked out by The Times as their number one recommendation for talks in their Going Out guide. If you are reading this… you already missed it, but Dr Howells introduced and led a discussion on ‘The Changing Nature of Celebrity’, with the sub-title: ‘ One Byron, Three Brontes and Two Beckhams’. The salon took place in early Victorian picture gallery, surrounded by portraits including Dickens and the Bronte sisters. This concluded Howells’ three public events at the NPG over the summer, all of which drew on his recently-published research: “Celebrities, Saints and Sinners: The Photograph as Holy Relic” in Celebrity Studies, Volume 2, No 2, July 2011, pp. 112-130.