Entangled Pasts at the Royal Academy

They say every picture tells a story so perhaps an art exhibition is an anthology of works with the objective of looking at a subject from many and varied perspectives. This is certainly true of the new ‘Entangled Pasts’ which opened last week at the RA. It tackles the difficult and complex subject of Britain’s colonial history through art.

I made the most of my lunch break yesterday, and popped in with the aim of finally seeing Dido Belle and Ignatius Sancho with my own eyes. As I walked round, I was both moved and horrified by the reality of our collective history.

From period portraits to thought-provoking modern pieces, the exhibition truly is a must-see for this Spring. 🎟️ Entangled Pasts, 1768 – now, the RA at Burlington House, 3 February – 28 April 2024 🎨 Dido Elisabeth Belle and Lady Elizabeth Murray (1779) by David Martin; Igantius Sancho (1768) by Thomas Gainsborough; Portrait of a Man, probably Francis Barber (c. 1770) by Joshua Reynolds