The Draughtsman’s Contract

The Draughtsman’s Contract

Year: 1982

Runtime: 108 mins

Language: English

Director: Peter Greenaway

MysteryHistoryDramaThrillers and murder mysteriesErotic relationships and desire

A landscape of lust and cunning. A young artist is commissioned by the wife of a wealthy landowner to make a series of drawings of the estate while her husband is away.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – The Draughtsman’s Contract (1982)

Trace every key event in The Draughtsman’s Contract (1982) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Contract for landscape drawings

Neville, a young and ambitious artist, signs a contract with Mrs Virginia Herbert to paint twelve landscape drawings of her country house, its outbuildings and gardens, as a gift for her husband who is away on business. Part of the contract is that Mrs Virginia Herbert agrees to comply with Neville's sexual demands, creating an uneasy power dynamic from the outset.

At the outset of the commission Country house estate
2

First encounters

During Neville's stay at the estate, the two pursue a series of sexual encounters. Mrs Virginia Herbert shows reluctance or distress, while Neville's insistence remains coercive.

Early in the stay Country house estate
3

Neville's unpopularity grows

Neville becomes disliked by many inhabitants and visitors on the estate. The German son in law, Mr Talmann, stands out as particularly hostile.

During the stay Estate
4

Attempt to terminate contract

Mrs Herbert grows weary of Neville's appetite and tries to terminate the contract before the drawings are finished. Neville refuses to end the arrangement, and the encounters continue.

Before completion Country house estate
5

Second contract via blackmail

Mrs Talmann, the Herbert family daughter, uses blackmail to push Neville into a second contract. He agrees to fulfill her sexual demands rather than hers.

After the first contract Estate
6

Pregnancy plan

Mrs Talmann wants to become pregnant and believes Neville can help, despite her husband lacking interest. The second contract is arranged to accommodate this aim.

During the second contract Estate
7

Herbert disappears and dies

Mr Herbert does not return and his dead body is found in the moat, signaling a grim turn in the estate drama.

Unknown time; later in the story Estate moat
8

Completion of the twelve drawings

Neville completes the twelve landscapes and leaves the estate, having woven the sessions of the contract into his work as well as his own fate.

After Herbert's death Country house estate
9

Return for an unlucky thirteenth drawing

Neville returns to the estate to work on a thirteenth drawing, and he and Mrs Herbert share another sexual encounter during this visit.

Evening of the thirteenth drawing Country house estate
10

Revelation of the pregnancy plan's outcome

Mrs Herbert indicates that her daughter's plan to conceive with Neville has apparently succeeded, intensifying the sense of entrapment and manipulation around Neville.

During the thirteenth visit Drawing room / estate
11

The trap closes

A masked man, later revealed to be Mr Talmann in disguise, is joined by the estate manager, Mr Noyes, their neighbor Mr Seymour, and the Poulenc twins to confront Neville. They accuse him of murder and of sexual violation, signaling a planned end to his freedom.

Evening Estate drawing room
12

The beating and the moat

Neville protests, but the assembled group blinds and beats him to death. They cast his body into the moat, at the same location where the husband body was found, sealing Neville's fate.

Evening Moat

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:50

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The Draughtsman’s Contract Summary

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The Draughtsman’s Contract Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Draughtsman’s Contract

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