John Sheeran, the father of Brit-winning Ed, is one of the world’s best-known art experts, and he is coming to Christchurch Mansion next month to talk about the importance of Suffolk artist John Constable.

The Mansion is home to the most important collection of Constables outside London and Mr Sheeran is to deliver a lecture to launch a new series on the masterpieces of Western art, which will be held in the town next year.

This keynote event is on Wednesday, June 26, in the Mansion’s Wolsey Gallery and tickets are now on sale.

Ipswich councillor with responsibility for culture Bryony Rudkin said: “It is fantastic to launch this event, which will be part of our Ip-art festival in the summer.

“John Sheeran has a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of Constable’s art so it will be good to publicise further the importance of our collection in the Mansion.”

The Wolsey Gallery has recently been renovated and holds a number of significant works both by Constable and fellow Suffolk artist Thomas Gainsborough.

Mr Sheeran, of Framlingham, was curator of the Dulwich Picture Gallery and subsequently curated the United Nation’s Millennium Art Exhibition in New York.

He now presents talks on the great painters from Giotto to Picasso.

He said: “Constable saw painting as a means of expressing his deepest feelings. He wanted people to stand in front of his work and feel the wonder and vitality of nature.

“I hope my talk will give people a strong sense of the emotional depth of Constable’s work. I also want to show just how experimental and revolutionary a painter he was. It is a privilege for me to give this lecture in a gallery full of his paintings.”

The lecture is at 10.30am on 26th June. Tickets costing £10 can be bought from www.ipswichregent.com

The Ip-Art festival runs from June 21 to July 7, featuring a number of different events across the town, including music, theatre, cinema, and other events and finishing with Ipswich Music Day in Christchurch Park on the final day.