Social history & fine art collide along the journey of the humble poppy from fragile flower to catalyst of conflict, vice & creative genius.

Attendees: TASH Members & their Guests Only.  Arrive early to enjoy drinks, lunch and great company.

Timings: Morning Lecture & Online @ 10:45 / Afternoon Lecture @ 14:15.

The Substance of Dreams and Nightmare

Derived from the Greek opion (poppy juice), opium has always held immense power over the human psyche. Historically celebrated as a hypnotic bringer of sleep, a relief from agonizing pain, and a source of delightful lethargy, its darker side is inextricably bound to intense addiction. Herries’ outline exposes the deep complexities of the substance: while greed famously drove Western nations to introduce this highly lucrative commodity to China—sparking the devastating Opium Wars of the 19th century—the substance quickly flowed backward into Europe.

By the Victorian era, the beguiling seduction of opium penetrated every layer of British society. Laudanum, an opium tincture mixed with alcohol, became a ubiquitous household staple. It was routinely used to quieten troubled adult minds and, tragically, to calm agitated or teething children and babies.

A Catalyst for Creative Genius

What makes this lecture particularly compelling for art enthusiasts is its exploration of how this dangerous panacea fuelled the creative imagination. Many of history’s greatest figures suffered from the very "troubled minds" they sought to ease with opium, inadvertently giving birth to masterpieces across music, literature, and visual art.

Members can look forward to exploring the artistic legacy left behind by famous opium and laudanum users, including:

• In Literature: Thomas De Quincey, whose foundational 1821 book Confessions of an English Opium-Eater deeply influenced psychology and literature, and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who allegedly penned his vivid, dream-like poem Kubla Khan following an opium-induced reverie.
• In Visual Art: The brilliant but tragic pre-Raphaelite muse and artist Elizabeth Siddal, whose struggles with laudanum famously inspired her husband Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s haunting posthumous masterpiece, Beata Beatrix.
• In Music: Hector Berlioz, whose ground-breaking Symphonie Fantastique tells the dramatic story of an artist poisoning himself with opium in the depths of unrequited love.

About the Speaker

Amanda Herries brings an extraordinary depth of knowledge to this subject. Having read Archaeology and Anthropology at Cambridge, she spent a decade as a decorative arts curator at the Museum of London. Her extensive international background includes living and working in Japan, where she specialized in Eastern and Western cross-cultural and artistic influences—a perspective that beautifully enriches a lecture focused on global trade, greed, and cultural exchange. Described by sister Arts Societies as an engaging, thorough, and masterly presenter, Herries seamlessly weaves together stark historical realities with profound artistic analysis.

Don't miss this unforgettable journey through social history and the arts.