David Jones was neither comfortable nor at home in the modern world. To him, the period of history through which he lived, particularly the two world wars and the period between them, was a time of darkness and destruction, characterized by loss of religious faith, a failure to recognize the importance of symbol and sign, and an increasing neglect of the sacramental in Modern Art. It was indeed a Wasteland, like that whose outlines he delineated in so much of his writings. It was this that he described, in the opening passage of the Anathemata, as ‘the sagging end and chapter’s close’ – the end of history, particularly as it is defined in the writings of Oswald Spengler, whose work was familiar and important to David throughout this period in his life. In this talk, John Matthews will explore how the time though which David Jones lived impacted his work both as artist and writer.

JOHN MATTHEWS is an independent scholar and author living in Oxford. He published his first book in 1980 and has since gone on to publish over a hundred titles on Myth, Folklore, and ancient traditions. A frequent speaker at the Temenos Academy since its inception, he has made a lifetime study of every aspect of the Arthurian legends, from its origins to modern retellings. His Great Book of King Arthur (2023) and Realms of the Round Table (2025) are recognised as presenting a major new dimension to the history of Arthurian literature.

Venue & Admission

St George the Martyr, Holborn, 44 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3AH. Doors Open 6.10pm, Lecture Begins 6.30pm

£10 General Admission or FREE for Temenos Academy Members/Full-time students with student ID card