Queens and savvy manipulators of their images: Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I may have been rivals, but as two women attempting to rule courts full of hot-headed aristocratic men, they also saw the powerful role that art could play in maintaining control and shaping their self-presentation. This lecture examines how they used the visual arts to send messages about their reigns; to critique, challenge and condemn and also to negotiate their complex and ultimately tragic relationship.

 Dr Christina Faraday (FSA FRHistS) is an historian of art and ideas, specialising in Tudor and Stuart Britain and the wider 16th and 17th-century world. She is a Research Fellow in History of Art at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, a Trustee of the Walpole Society for British Art History, and a BBC New Generation Thinker, appearing regularly on BBC Radio 3 and in other popular media. She is an experienced lecturer and teaches for the History of Art Department at the University of Cambridge, the Wallace Collection, the National Gallery, and for the Institute for Continuing Education, Cambridge, where she is Co-Director of the MSt in History of Art and Visual Culture. She is author of two books; Tudor Liveliness: Vivid Art in Post-Reformation England and The Story of Tudor Art.

How does our experience of looking at works of art today compare to the viewing experience of earlier centuries?  This lecture considers the very different conditions in which paintings were seen and displayed in the past. Today we don’t have just daylight and candlelight, we do not use magnifying glasses, conceal pictures behind small curtains, or hang pictures way up high.

Come and hear about the unexpected ways people enjoyed and responded to art in the past.

 Chantal has an MA in History of Art from Edinburgh and a PhD from the Warburg Institute, London University. With 40 years' experience as a lecturer, Chantal has taught at Sotheby's Institute of Art on the MA in Fine and Decorative Arts since 1989, and as a freelance lecturer for a number of societies and institutions in London, including the National Gallery and the Wallace Collection. Having also trained as a painting’s conservator, she brings an understanding of the making and the physical painting to her lectures and study sessions.

Cleopatra VII, ‘the shame of Egypt, the lascivious fury who was to become the bane of Rome’ (Lucan), is one of the most intriguing figures in history. This lecture will concentrate on her personality, the events of her life, the men in it, and the cultural context of the time. We will confront fascinating problems: how reliable is the historical tradition about Cleopatra? What did she achieve? And how? And crucially despite representations in art, what did she look like?  

Steve Kershaw has a degree and PhD in Classics from Bristol and is a lecturer for Oxford University Department for continuing Education. He also authored and teaches on Oxford’s online Greek Mythology courses. He was a professor of History of Art for Rhodes College and the University of the South and regularly Lectures at the V&A and at New York University, London, and on numerous tours and cruises. His many media appearances include being an expert contributor on the History Channel, appearing in a Channel 5 TV documentary fronted by Dan Snow about destroyed ancient cities, and guesting on BBC Radio 4's You're Dead to Me. He has also published a number of books and guides.

The tiny kingdom of Bhutan is known as Druk Yul, the Kingdom of the Thunder God.  This refers to the Drukpa traditions of Vajrayana Buddism, which permeate every aspect of life. This lecture journeys through the history, art and the culture of this extraordinary country, that has held back time.  Recent decades have seen much change. Will Bhutan be able to maintain the fine balance between tradition and modernity without diminishing its culture?

  Zara is a freelance lecturer, art consultant and exhibition curator, specialising in the art and culture of Tibet, the Himalayan areas and Mongolia. Initially based at the V&A, she also worked with the Central Asian Department of Bonn University, the Orient Foundation, the Royal Academy, Tibet House, the National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside and Asia House. She lectures for museums, universities, Asian art societies, and private associations.  She has been a guest lecturer and guide on numerous trips to the Himalayas. She has edited and published many articles in the field of Buddhist art and culture.

Self-portraiture has created some of the most interesting and memorable images in art. This lecture examines this most personal and revealing of genres, how depictions have shifted over time; likeness and ‘truth’, and why artists have relentlessly made images of themselves in their explorations of the world.  From Michelangelo to Van Dyck to Rembrandt and many more, we come right up to date, looking at Kahlo, Warhol, to Marina Abramovic, to explore what it means to make self-portraits today.

 Jacky Klein is an art historian, publisher, writer, lecturer and broadcaster, specialising in modern and contemporary art. After studying at Oxford University and the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, she worked as a curator at a number of leading galleries: Tate, the Barbican, the Courtauld and the Hayward. She has taught at University College London, Christie’s Education, the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Royal Academy of Arts. She is an author of a best-selling book on  Grayson Perry, and coauthor of a number of  contemporary art titles and guides. Jacky has presented and contributed to a range of television programmes for the BBC and is a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4's arts review programme, 'Front Row'.

The arrival of photography was to change the course of painting forever. The instant capture of images meant new artistic ideas and movements were born. But to elevate their work to ‘high art’ photographers also drew inspiration from painting.  From the Pictorialists to Degas, Hockney, Gerhard Richter and more, this lecture follows the relationship between art and photography from the 19th century to the present day and how both have captured moments, moods and events.

 For our first lecture of the year, we welcome Cindy Polemis; art historian, independent lecturer and art guide. She has a BA in Modern History from Oxford University and Masters in History of Art from Birkbeck College, London University. She spent many years as a radio producer and presenter for the BBC World Service but since 2016 has worked as a lecturer and an official art guide at Tate Britain and Tate Modern.

The much-loved Christmas Carol, ‘the 12 Days of Christmas’, was published in 1780.  Apart from the pear tree, in which sat the partridge, no other gifts of plants appear in in the song. And yet at Christmas we are surrounded by plants in our celebrations. This entertaining lecture will look at the folklore, natural history and botany of 12 contemporary plants we use at Christmas …to replace the leaping lords, partridges and gold rings!

For our final 2025 lecture, we welcome Dr Timothy Walker.  Timothy was Director of the University of Oxford Botanic Garden & Harcourt Arboretum from 1988 to 2014, during which time the garden won four Gold Medals at Chelsea and he also broadcast a three part series for BBC4. Since 2014 he has been a tutor in Plant Biology at Somerville and Hertford Colleges, Oxford. 

Tommaso Marinetti’s dramatic launch of futurism with his manifesto in Le Figaro in 1909, heralded an assault on traditional art, and an avant-garde movement which embraced the new machine age. In this colourful lecture we will trace its striking rise, its contradiction and contrasts with traditional art, and trace its wide-reaching development and influence not only in painting, sculpture and photography but also as it spread into architecture, design, fashion and even food.

Dr Jacqueline Cockburn is a specialist in Spanish Art, Literature and Language. She is a course director and lecturer at the V&A and lectures widely, including for The Royal Academy and The Art Fund.  She is also Managing Director and runs courses for Art and Culture Travel, Andalucia.  

This is the gripping and sometimes hilarious story of how a band of heroic curators and eccentric custodians saved Britain’s national heritage during our ‘Darkest Hour’. As Hitler’s forces gathered on the other side of the Channel to threaten these islands, men and women from London’s national museums, galleries and archives packed up their treasures in a race against time and forged extraordinary secret plans to evacuate their collections to safety throughout the country.

Caroline is an award-winning author,  archivist, public historian and lecturer. She was formerly Director of the Parliamentary Archives, a senior archivist at the National Archives and has appeared at many literary festivals and on radio and TV. In 2023 she was appointed by the Government to the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest, which considers whether national heritage destined for sale overseas should be saved for the nation.

This lecture will explore the enduring Western invention and obsession with the so-called ‘exotic’ or ‘noble savage’ after the discovery of Tahiti in 1767 and chart the impact of the English and European influences that came to this part of the world through the eyes of not only Captain Cook, and those that came before him, but also through the paintings of the extraordinary artists accompanying these pioneering voyages; and into the 19th century and early 20th century with the images of Gauguin.

For our return after our summer break, we welcome art historian, author, lecturer and broadcaster, Leslie Primo. Leslie lectures and tutors for the National Gallery, The National Portrait Gallery,  Imperial College and others and gives gallery tours for the V&A and Tate. He has presented and appeared in various BBC arts programmes and on Radio 4. His latest book ‘The Foreign Invention of British Art’ has been published this year. 

During the Edo period, the arts of Japan flourished in richness and diversity. With the rise of the merchant class and the growth of cities such as Edo (modern-day Tokyo), a new vitality was injected into traditional art forms, giving rise to exciting new developments in the visual and performing arts. This lecture will consider the arts of the period; from castle architecture and golden screen painting to lacquerware and netsuke and how the influence filtered to the West.

Turner and Constable were exact contemporaries, born just one year apart. Tate Britain will be commemorating the 250th anniversary of the birth of these two giants of British art with the exhibition Turner and Constable running from November 2025 to April 2026.

Both artists painted mostly landscapes but had a very different vision of art, each radical in its own way. Their personalities couldn't be more different: the rough and ready Turner, likened to a 'dirty farmer' by Delacroix, was in sharp contract to the genteel Constable. Their critical reception was also very different: Constable was not elected as a full member of the Royal Academy until he was 52; Turner was just 27. Why was this? This talk will contrast the careers of these great artists with a detailed look at some of their most famous paintings.

(Note: this is a slight change to the lecture given in the main 2025 brochure, due to illness.)

Dr Cevizli is an independent art historian. She gained her PhD from the University of Warwick. Her publications focus on cultural and diplomatic exchange between the Italian city-states and the Ottomans. She has lectured for a number of institutions including Sabanci University Istanbul: Sotheby's Institute of Art; the National Gallery; the V&A Academy and the Courtauld summer school. Her interests are wide-ranging and she also worked across the collections of both Tate Modern and Tate Britain as a professional guide.

The Persian Empire exploded into life in the middle of the 6th Century BC and was the largest empire in the world for the next two centuries. Around 515 BC its third great king, Darius I, commissioned a vast new city with his grand palace at its centre. This lecture explores the wonder of Persepolis, and what the great palace and its art can tell us about the ideology of this extraordinary and influential empire.

One of the strangest tales in art history… is it true that the CIA used Abstract Expressionism as a secret weapon in the Cold War? Would Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning and Mark Rothko be forgotten today were it not for this subterfuge? This lecture examines how Modernism in art and design was repurposed by the USA in the 1950s to unsettle the Soviet Union and win over intellectuals to the West.

‘A miracle which God let be born in Salzburg’ is Leopold Mozart’s assessment of his enormously gifted son, who conquered Europe as a child prodigy and took classical music to new heights in the Vienna of the 1780s. Yet Mozart died tragically young, impoverished and underappreciated, while writing a requiem that had been commissioned on condition of secrecy. This lecture, featuring musical examples and contemporary portraits, will strip away some of the myths and piece together the real Mozart.

At the height of America’s Gilded Age, no less than 454 heiresses exchanged their crisp American dollars for musty old European titles, bringing a new lease of life to previously cash-strapped aristocrats and enabling the restoration of their crumbling ‘piles’. This lecture will explore some of the more prominent national treasures that owe their existence to this new money, and explore the astonishing stories behind the fortunes, the marriages, and the legacies left behind.

London’s sumptuous Victorian and Edwardian department stores changed the capital and its women. Shoppers of every rank were lavishly wooed, seduced and often undone by the temptations laid out before them in these new ‘cathedrals of desire’. Starting on Oxford Street’s ‘golden mile’, we’ll set off on a tour of the Capital’s big stores. This is a slice of social history with wonderful period images.

This is the story of three very different but hugely successful families; the Sackville-Wests, the Astors and the Rothschilds. The Sackville -Wests have been part of the establishment since the Conqueror and the other two families were wealthy immigrants who came to England in the l9th century. This lecture traces the history of the families, discusses their contribution to life in England and celebrates the splendid gardens they created at Sissinghurst, Cliveden and Waddesdon.

Art Deco, prevalent during the 1920s and 1930s, has the reputation of being the most glamorous and popular style of the 20th century. This lecture will review its development within the context of its social and economic environment and look at specific examples of objets d’art and the craftsmen and artists who made them - E-J Ruhlmann, René Lalique, Tamara de Lempicka, Erté and more. We will also explore architectural examples from across the world, that confirm Art Deco’s full global appeal.

Charlie Chaplin was a man of contradictions – a playboy and a workaholic, an innovative artist and the last to embrace talking pictures. He revolutionised the language of cinema and he became the most universally recognised performer of all time. He had a tortured private life but used elements of that in his films and made political stands, drawing on the experiences of immigrants and the urban poor and memories of his own childhood in the slums of London.

The Maharajahs and Maharanis of India were semi-independent rulers, responsible for governing territories that were outside the direct control of the British Empire. They fascinated the British public and functioned as powerful symbols of ‘exotic India’. This lecture draws on a stunning collection of portraits and photographs of Indian Maharanis, that portray them as powerful, dignified and educated figures. These beautiful portraits are brought to life with insights into their lives, memoirs, and the role they played.

George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, was the favourite of King James I and Chief Minister to King Charles I. Known as the Handsomest Man in Europe, he surrounded himself with beautiful things and was a discerning Patron.   In his great house on the Strand, he put together a fine collection of art works but, at the age of 35 Buckingham was murdered. His collection was scattered, but contemporary inventories allow us to reconstruct it and reveal some of the magnificent paintings he owned and the innovative work he commissioned.

Ida and Louise Cook were destined never to marry after the decimation of men in World War One. When Ida became a successful novelist, the sisters used their earnings to indulge their love of opera, travelling all over the world but especially to Salzburg. Familiarity with Austria enabled them to undertake dangerous missions in the 1930s, rescuing Jewish musicians and others from the Nazis. This lecture will explore the glamourous world of Opera, that transformed their lives and the lives of the families they saved.

This lecture will discuss the sometimes surprising attempts to create graphic unity between the operating companies of the Underground, as it expanded from its earliest days. We will look at Leslie Green's architecture and the Arts & Crafts movement, Frank Pick and Edward Johnston's typeface, Charles Holden's architecture, Streamline Moderne, the Art Deco movement, the New Works Programme, post war austerity/design. Also, the Victoria Line, the creation of TfL, and the new schemes of today.

Two tombs, a couple of statues, one temple, a garden and a lighthouse have become celebrated as the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.  But how much do we know about them? Why and how were they chosen? And, given that six out of the seven were destroyed long ago, can we recreate their size, beauty and majesty, as well as the shock and awe that they generated?  Combining literary and artistic evidence for the monuments with examination of the sites where they once stood, this lecture will try to make the vestigial traces of their grandeur come to life again.

This lecture will tell the story of several famous works of art that were looted by the Nazis and will reveal their incredible journeys from their pre-wartime owners to their current locations. Examples we will examine include Lucas Cranach’s Cupid Complaining to Venus and Pablo Picasso’s Portrait of Angel Fernandez de Soto, which was once owned by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. We will discuss what makes these works so intriguing and why the thefts still resonate today.

The perfect Christmas lecture! What does the ancient Nativity icon from the Orthodox East actually mean and why does late Trecento art show something different? This lecture traces the fascinating development of the Nativity image, from its Byzantine roots to the more familiar devotional images from late 14th century Italy.

Helen McIldowie-Jenkins

Helen is a graduate of the Courtauld Institute of Art, specialising in trecento panel-painting, Russian and Byzantine icons and iconography. Helen has worked at London’s Russian Art Auction House (MacDougall Arts) and in museums and adult education. She is currently working on a major icon commission for a London church and writing a book on icon painting. Among her lectures for The Arts Society are From Cradle to Cave: The Iconography of the Nativity in Late Medieval Italian Art, Strange Virgins and Quirky Saints: Intriguing and Unusual Icons, Finding Francis: A Visual Pilgrimage through the Art of Assisi and Madonnas and Miracles: The Golden Age of Sienese Painting, 1250-1350.

In the context of our World War centenaries, anniversaries and the current debate about statues and monuments, the subject of this lecture is hugely relevant. Germany's very specific situation rendered all traditional concepts of monuments and memorials irrelevant and inappropriate. How does a nation of former persecutors mourn its victims? How do you remember what you would rather forget? The idea behind counter memorials is to keep lessons of the past alive in the individual psyches of the people. With her Anglo-German roots, artistic background and years of research, Angela is in an ideal position to give insights into Germany's on-going efforts to find artistic forms to remember and apologise for one of history's darkest periods.

The Hindu temple complex of Angkor in Cambodia is the greatest archaeological site in Asia. Within an area of 400 square kilometres there are dozens of temples, many covered in jungle but the most important of them all is Angkor Wat. Built in the 12th century, Angkor Wat is the biggest religious monument in the world and measures a square mile. This lecture will focus on the artistic heritage and religious symbolism of Angkor. It will reveal the historical background and show the evolution of the Khymer empire and its flowering of sculptural art which was dedicated to religious building. Other temples such as the Bayon, and Banteay Srei, will be highlighted.

Towards the end of her life May Morris (1892-1938) - designer, craftsperson, and younger daughter of William Morris - wrote, "I'm a remarkable woman, always was, though none of you seem to think so". Overshadowed in her lifetime by her father, today May Morris is recognised as a leading figure in the Arts & Crafts Movement. She was Head of Embroidery at Morris & Co by the time she was twenty-three. May also designed wallpapers, made jewellery and was a talented amateur watercolour artist. Instrumental in founding the Women's Guild of Arts to support women working in the arts and crafts field. A skilled editor, May spent her later years editing the 24 volumes of her father's collected works.

The Great Exhibition is now widely regarded as a grand statement of Victorian technological prowess and self-confidence. However, its roots can be traced to a widespread concern about the state of industrial design in Britain. So, what were the real aims behind the Exhibition, and how were they fulfilled? What concerns did such a radically novel event raise for Victorian society? What was the experience like for visitors? Why was it such a huge success at the time? And what was its lasting impact?

Clothing and fashion have been depicted in art since the earliest civilisations. It was not until the late 19th century that fashion in art became a defined genre as an essential marketing tool promoting fashion to a wider audience. Discover the magnificent art of Erte (1892-1990), Georges Le Pape (1887-1971) and a generation of fashion illustrators. They documented fashion from the glittering 1920s through to the democratisation of fashion in the 1950s. Hence this period is known as the golden age of fashion illustration.

The National Gallery's collection holds works from the early 13th century to the 19th century Impressionists. The stories behind the pictures are interesting, amusing, unexpected and sometimes surprising. Details such as a portrait of a female Rhinoceros who toured London and set a fashion for having one's hair styled 'a la Rhinoceros'. Technical details such as the sort of wood chosen for the panels and then the change to canvas in the late 1590s. No more than a handful of pictures in the NG are in the frames originally chosen for them. Restoration, cleaning and display all change how we view a painting and it is important to remember that none of these pictures were produced to hang on the walls of a London gallery - they have all lived other, often surprising lives.

The Huguenots came to England in huge numbers in the late 17th century bringing a wide variety of skills - as silk weavers, silversmiths, clock makers, opticians, bankers, gilders, ironworkers, horticulturists etc. Names such as Paul de Lamerie, Samuel Courtauld and Jean Tijou spring to mind. In virtually all areas, they were innovators and more advanced than the English who were forced to improve their own skills or go out of business. Although the majority settled in London, others found their way to East Anglia, Macclesfield and Canterbury. This talk examines their lasting legacy. 

Replacement subject due to the ill health of our planned speaker.

We might assume that our modern Christmas owes much to the Victorians. In fact, many of our favourite Christmas traditions date back much further. Carol-singing, present-giving, mulled wine and mince pies were all just as popular in Tudor times, and even Father Christmas and roast turkey dinners have their origins in this period.

The Tudor Christmas was a time of feasting, revelry and merrymaking, a twelve-day-long festival, over which the Lord of Misrule held sway, and convention was thrown to the winds. Christmas was so beloved by English people that its traditions survived remarkably unchanged in this age of tumultuous religious upheaval. 

Drawing plays a key role in an artist’s training. It is a type of brain-storming: a way of sketching out ideas. But it can also be planning a composition, presenting an idea for a large project to a client, or purely a finished product in its own right.  In this lecture we will discover the drawing techniques of the Great Masters.

Paxton was one of the most inventive and influential figures of the 19th century, whose most famous masterwork, the Crystal Palace of 1851, is considered by significant contemporary architects to be ’the birth of modern architecture’. Born into a humble farming family, this lecture celebrates Paxton’s life and achievements and how he left his mark on Victorian Britain. 

Harry will be tracing the history of his profession with examples from early practitioners like Cruickshank and Hogarth, to more contemporary artists such as Giles and Schulz, bringing events right up to date with cartoons produced fresh on the page that day!  Yes, Harry will be drawing live. Prepare to hear some tricks of his trade.

Little is known about this remarkable Dutch painter born in 1450.  This lecture unravels the meanings of Bosch’s enigmatic paintings in the context of his own time, explaining them in terms of social satire, medieval folklore and pre-Reformation spirituality, while also revealing the beauty and inventiveness of his images.

The Bayeux Tapestry is one of the most outstanding cultural objects to survive from the early Middle Ages. Long admired for its vivid narrative, today it is the unanswered questions that most intrigue modern audiences.  This lecture looks not only at its creation, but also at its even more amazing afterlife.

Using a range of illustrations, Sarah traces the history of one of the world's most ancient and beloved musical instruments from thousands of years BC, to its arrival in northern Europe.  She will also perform on her own reproduction and antique instruments to demonstrate the development and evolving sound as well as the repertoire of the harp throughout its history.

Exactly how did a modest jewellery concern become an enduring symbol of Romanov luxury?  This talk takes us beyond the legendary Easter eggs to consider the design sources and the materials and techniques that distinguished the legendary Russian firm.  In particular the talk covers Faberge gifts selected to convey romantic ties, filial devotion and diplomatic esteem.

This lecture looks at the evolution of the coronation ceremony from Saxon times. It examines the different stages of the ceremony and explains the significance of the coronation regalia. We also learn of the omens and memorable mishaps which have occurred throughout the centuries and ends with the coronation of Her Majesty the Queen.

This lecture looks at how the new technologies of Artificial Intelligence, 3D printing, wearable tech, location-tracking, voice recognition and live-streaming are changing the way art is made and experienced.  The talk will show some of the most powerful examples of immersive tech art, from virtual reality firework displays to 3D mappings of a Pharaoh’s tomb.

(Talk deferred from 2020)

Wine has been part of our global society for over 7,000 years. It forms an important component of faith, well-being and festivity.    The lecture will look at the relationship between art and wine including slides of tomb drawings from ancient Egypt, the thermopolia of Pompeii, a spectacular mediaeval building in France, as well as paintings and cartoons.

David Wright

David has been a wine retailer, importer and distributor for 30 years. In that time, he has publicly presented tastings and talks on wine to trade and private audiences. These have taken the form of wine ‘tastings’ or charity events where a particular subject is presented and wines tasted. David has developed a talk, A Brief Story of Wine, a great subject, and full of rich evidence, going back 7,000 years, in the form of paintings, decorated drinking vessels, buildings and literature that contribute to the story.

Craft is resurgent: after decades of de-skilling, automated manufacturing and low-maintenance materials we are appreciating handmade objects. The speaker has interviewed dozens of British artisans for the Financial Times and found some prevalent themes. How do craftspeople make a living? How do they evolve traditions? What are their techniques? And why do many of the last-surviving workshops suddenly recover their trade?

Jonathan Foyle

Dr Jonathan Foyle was Chief Executive of World Monuments Fund Britain for eight years, and a Curator of Historic Buildings at Hampton Court for as long, during which time he took his 2002 PhD on reconstructing Wolsey's palace. He is a frequent feature writer for the Financial Times on issues of architecture, history and craft, and is approaching his fourth published cathedral monograph: Canterbury, Lincoln, Lichfield - now Peterborough. A presenter of numerous television series including BBC4's Henry VIII: Patron or Plunderer? and BBC2's Climbing Great Buildings, he lectures frequently on a range of art-historical topics. He brings teaching experience as a former Course Director for the University of Cambridge Summer Schools and is an Honorary Professor in Conservation at the University of Lincoln.

This lecture tells the story, covering 800 years, of the Moorish invasion and the Christian re-conquest of the Iberian peninsula, through an introduction to the surviving architecture and other areas of the material culture, such as silk textiles, carved ivory caskets, bronze sculptures and refined ceramics.

Ian Cockburn

Art historian with a BA (Birkbeck College) in art history and an MA (Courtauld Institute of Art) in medieval Spanish art history. Specialist in the nearly 800 years of Moorish occupation and Christian reconquest of medieval Iberia. 

Founder and director of an art tours company, specialising in guided cultural tours in Spain, plus lecturing in London at institutions such as the V&A, SOAS, Christies Education, and the London Art History Society. Formerly a Chartered Accountant and senior manager in multi-national IT companies, with extensive public-speaking experience.

(Talk deferred from 2020)
Since the birth of human civilisation, dance has been an important part of its ceremonies, rituals, celebrations, and as a means of expression and entertainment. Using stills and video clips this talk takes a look at dance as an art form from its earliest beginnings throughout Europe up to the current explosion of modern dance.

Jennifer Toynbee-Holmes

Jennifer Toynbee-Holmes is an experienced guide at Tate Britain and Tate Modern and lectures at various art societies and institutions. She has a special interest in British and European art of the late 18th, 19th and early 20th century. Having gained an MA in film and television practice, Jennifer had a long-standing career spanning twenty years as a television producer/director making documentaries and factual programmes for the BBC, ITV and Channel 4. She was also a visiting lecturer at Goldsmiths College and Birkbeck, University of London and a senior lecturer at Southampton Solent University in the Faculty of Media, Arts and Society.

(Talk deferred from 2020)

The High Renaissance saw the seamless integration of art and architecture, a tradition going back over thousands of years.  This lecture tells the fascinating story of how painting and architecture went their separate ways. Embracing the likes of Michelangelo, Watteau, Whistler and Matisse, this broad-ranging survey culminates with the Bauhaus and its legacy in the USA.

Richard is a professional artist who graduated in English and Art History from York University in 1986. From 1988-1994 he lectured at the adult education departments of Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities, and then went on to become a full-time figurative artist, executing large-scale public commissions, and exhibiting widely throughout the UK. He now lives and works in Chichester, West Sussex. 

Music was a constant theme in Manet’s life and art. His wife Suzanne Leenhoff was a gifted pianist, and regular musical soirées were held at the Manet family home. Bringing together Manet’s art and the music that inspired him (including Spanish flamenco, Wagner piano reductions, café songs, and opera highlights) this lecture immerses you in Manet’s world.

For the series and film “Downton Abbey”, Andrew was commissioned to make many jewels for the main characters and this inspired him to create a talk based on this unique period.  He describes a period when the great couturiers collaborated with the finest of jewellers to produce jewels and clothes of outstanding quality and glittering opulence. 

Hans Holbein’s The Ambassadors is recognised by the National Gallery of London as one of its greatest treasures. It dates from a tradition in the arts when no object was without meaning and symbolism. This lecture considers the tempestuous circumstances of its creation and the hidden messages concealed within it.

The vast canvases which cover the walls and ceiling of the elegant Scuola represent one of the most ambitious artistic projects of the 16th century.   The lecture assesses how these moving and dramatic paintings reflect the teachings and activities of their patrons, and considers their impact and influence on subsequent generations of artists including Rubens, Velázquez and El Greco.

This is one of the quirkiest lectures you will ever hear. There is a universal delight in being deceived;   a whistle stop tour of art which fools, surprises and amuses the viewer.  Beginning and ending with the Belgian surrealist, René Magritte, it encompasses trompe l’oeil, Banksy, Bridget Riley, Arcimboldo and Escher to name a few.

This lecture examines Hogarth’s ‘Marriage à la Mode’ other ‘modern moral subjects’. It looks at how the artist used his work to wage war against London’s sex trade and child poverty as part of his personal crusade to establish modern urban life as an appropriate subject for high art. Insights into the darker side of life in 18th century London are blended with the story of how Hogarth worked his way up from an apprenticed engraver to successful painter and philanthropist.

The talk starts at 8:00pm, please log on 5 minutes beforehand. A link will be emailed to members on the morning, as usual.

 Having initially studied chemical engineering, in 2008 Julia Musgrave decided to become an art historian. She now has a Graduate Diploma in the History of Art from the Courtauld Institute of Art .  She is a lecturer in Art History at the City Literary Institute.

Suzanne Valadon 1865-1938 was born into poverty in Montmartre. Greatly in demand as a model she appears in a number of important works by Toulouse-Lautrec and Renoir. She also posed for Degas who saw her talent as an artist. She quickly established a reputation as such and was exhibited by leading Parisian dealers.

The Marchesa Luisa Casati 1881-1957 was born into a huge Italian fortune. Painted by Giovanni Boldini, Augustus John, Kees van Dongen as well as being photographed by Man Ray and Cecil Beaton, she became a fashion icon. 

The talk starts at 8:00pm, please log on 5 minutes beforehand. As usual, a link will be emailed to members on the morning.

 Julian Halsby is the author of many published books.   He is a member of the International Association of Art Critics and The Critics Circle. A practising artist, he was elected to the Royal Society of British Artists in 1994 and appointed Keeper in 2010.

2020 marks the 500th anniversary of the death of Raphael.  This talk will study his art from the early paintings in Urbino and Florence to its full maturity in Rome in his elegant painting of the School of Athens and the sublime cartoons for Leo X's tapestries in the Vatican, epitomising the grandeur of the High Renaissance.  Meanwhile his skills as an architect were employed not only in designing palaces but even St. Peter's.

The talk starts at 18:30, please log on 5 minutes beforehand. A link to the event will be emailed to members on the morning, as usual.

Shirley Smith is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and is a tutor for the Board of Continuing Education of Cambridge University. Her essay on ‘The Fresco Decoration in the Sistine Chapel: Biblical Authority and the Church of Rome’ appears in ‘The Bible and the Arts’ published by Edinburgh University Press.

For details of this Zoom lecture go to the Documents section under the Our Society tab.

Cinematic images are modern art forms. In the ‘golden age’ of cinema film-makers had to construct sets to represent landscapes, townscapes and interiors.  Drawing on new insights from the archaeology of cinema, this lecture will use the films of renowned British director David Lean to explore the art of cinema. How do the directors, screenwriters, production designers, costume designers, etc. choose locations, construct sets, dress actors, and ‘imagine’ the world they seek to represent? How much is authentic, and how much preconception and prejudice?

 Neil Faulkner works as a freelance lecturer, editor, writer, excavator, and occasional broadcaster.  He is author of many books, a director of several archaeological projects and is pioneering the archaeological investigation of cinema.   His TV appearances include Channel Four’s Time Team and BBC2’s Timewatch.

The story of the theatre following the death of Cromwell and the return of the monarchy - King Charles II.

Wine has been part of our global society for over 7,000 years, and the story tells of its origin in all societies across the Mediterranean and throughout Europe. There is rich evidence of the role wine has played and how it became an important component of faith, well-being and festivity.    The lecture will look at the relationship between art and wine including slides of tomb drawings from ancient Egypt, the thermopolia of Pompeii, a spectacular mediaeval building in France, as well as paintings and cartoons.

 David Wright has been a wine retailer, importer and distributor for 30 years. In that time, he has publicly presented tastings and gives talks on wine to trade and private audiences.

Since the birth of human civilisation, dance has been an important part of its ceremonies, rituals, celebrations, and as a means of expression and entertainment.
Using stills and video clips we take an exciting look at dance as an art form from its earliest beginnings,  through the birth and rapid development of ballet throughout Europe and the explosion of modern dance from the early 20th century.

 Jennifer Toynbee-Holmes is an experienced guide at Tate Britain and Tate Modern.   She has had a long-standing career as a television producer/director making documentaries and factual programmes for the BBC, ITV and Channel 4. She was also a visiting lecturer at Goldsmiths College and Birkbeck, University of London and a senior lecturer at Southampton Solent University.

The High Renaissance saw the seamless integration of art and architecture, a tradition going back over thousands of years.  This lecture tells the fascinating story of how painting and architecture went their separate ways. Embracing the likes of Michelangelo, Watteau, Whistler and Matisse, this broad-ranging survey culminates with the Bauhaus and its legacy in the USA – and ends by asking whether the partnership between art and architecture might be revived in the 21st century.

 Richard Whincop lectured from 1988-1994 at the adult education departments of Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities.  He then went on to become a full-time figurative artist, executing large-scale public commissions, and exhibiting widely throughout the UK.  

The story of how the Fan Museum came to fruition is interwoven with the fascinating biography of its founder, whose personal collection forms the basis of the Museum’s holdings. The Museum contains 5,000+ fans dating from the 10th century to the present day including an especially rare Elizabethan-period embroidered folding fan as well as contemporary examples decorated by street artists.

Jacob Moss obtained a postgraduate degree in Fashion Curation from London College of Fashion in 2010, and took up a position as Curator at The Fan Museum.  In 2018 he was awarded an Art Fund Jonathan Ruffer Curatorial Grant in support of a collections management project in collaboration with the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, New York.

Throughout the history of art, artists have debated whether line or colour was the more important.  In Renaissance Florence, artists maintained that line should take precedence because it controlled the subject matter of a picture, and that colour was a mere enhancement. In 18th century France, artists maintained that colour was more important.   This lecture will explore the changing fortunes of line and colour and show how they reflect changing attitudes towards thinking and feeling in European art as a whole.

Andrew Spira worked at the Temple Gallery, London, before becoming a curator at the V&A and then a Programme Director at Christie's Education.  He is now a freelance art historian, lecturing, writing and curating exhibitions and has published two books.

In 1888 Gertrude Jekyll wrote a short but seminal article in The Garden in which she urged the readers to ‘remember that in a garden we are painting a picture’.  This talk looks at how to apply these principles in designing a border.   Exploring the ways in which a border is different from a painting, the lecture looks at how contemporary work by Turner, Monet, Rothko, Jackson Pollock, and Hockney evolved in parallel with ideas about what a garden or border should look like.

Timothy Walker has given 1,500 public lectures since 1986, originally as part of his work as director of the Oxford University Botanic Garden from 1988 to 2014.   Since 2014 he has been a college lecturer and tutor at Somerville College Oxford. 

This talk looks at our relationship with animals and the ways in which artists have represented the changes in it. From the animal-headed gods of the Egyptians to the sinister hybrids of BritArt, by way of Botticelli’s centaur, Rubens’ tiger hunts, Goya’s bullfights, Seurat’s circus, Picasso’s Minotaur and Hockney’s cat Percy, this talk looks at what artists, in portraying animals, have been trying to tell us about ourselves and our own behaviour.

Susie Harries is a writer, editor and lecturer, specialising in 20th century culture and the arts. She has published eight books on subjects including official war art, opera and the composer Elisabeth Lutyens. Her most recent publication is the biography of Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, published in August 2011.

'Zan Zig performing with rabbit and roses' - poster, 1899 Image: Wikipedia

The Nutcracker has delighted audiences at Christmas for many decades yet it was deemed a failure at its first performances. The talk (accompanied by audio and video clips) will take a close look at how this well-loved ballet now takes its rightful place on stage and how the music of Tchaikovsky along with story-telling, design and dance all come together to make the most magical escape for young and old alike. 

Nigel Bates is Music Administrator of The Royal Ballet and has been a performer (percussionist) for almost forty years in and out of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. He has given lectures for many years and was also a producer for BBC TV's documentary series Maestro at the Opera and Pappano's Classical Voices.

Image courtesy of Royal Opera House

As part of the Habsburg Empire, Prague was beloved of kings and princes. During the 19th century however, the Czechs sought to reclaim the city for their own. They imagined a new future by means of art, architecture, literature and music. Looking at painter and decorative artist Alfons Mucha, artist Karel Svoboda and composers Bed?ich Smetana and Antonín Dvo?ák, this talk shows how the Czechs created a capital that was fit for a new independent nation.

Gavin Plumley is a writer and broadcaster specialising in Central Europe during the 19th and 20th centuries. He appears frequently on BBC Radio 3 and 4 and has lectured at the National Gallery, the British Museum, the Tate, the V&A and the Neue Galerie, New York.

Powder Tower and Municipal House. Image courtesy of Gavin Plumley

Georgia O’Keeffe abandoned her teaching career to eventually become one of America’s most popular artists, with an international reputation. She is best-known for her dramatic and sometimes controversial pictures of flowers. Her legacy of some 900 paintings also embraces New York’s skyscrapers, her almost abstract treatment of Lake George’s landscape and the sun-bleached animal bones depicted against the rugged New Mexico landscape. 

Following a successful business career, Bernard Allan spent several years teaching art history and is now an independent art history tutor. He specialises in the work of Women Artists and also American Art. He has lectured widely to local organisations and guided parties around art galleries in London and Paris.

Image courtesy of Georgia O'Keeffe Museum

The talk focuses on the recent proliferation of contemporary art on display in Britain’s stately homes and parklands such as Blenheim Palace, Chatsworth House and Houghton Hall. It explores the fascinating dialogue between landscape, architecture and the vibrant art of today. Among the major international artists will be Ai Weiwei, Barbara Kruger, James Turrell as well as Turner Prize winners, Antony Gormley, Damien Hirst and Richard Long.

Anna Moszynska is a lecturer and writer, specialising in contemporary art. She developed the first British Master’s Degree in the subject at Sotheby’s Institute. Anna currently teaches at academic institutions in London and Paris and runs her own art courses. Her books include ‘Abstract Art’ (1990) and ‘Sculpture Now’ (2013).

Richard Hudson 'Tear' 2016 Chatsworth House. Image courtesy of Fiona Fieth

This lecture explores the work of Dalí, the designer and science enthusiast.

Salvador Dalí did not only restrict his creative output to painting but was also a writer, poet, engraver, sculptor, architect, photographer, theatre designer and jewellery designer. He was an omnivorous reader who was as interested in science as he was in art and in this, his work also reflects the Renaissance artists he so admired.

Having initially studied chemical engineering, in 2008 Julia Musgrave decided to become an art historian. She now has a Graduate Diploma in the History of Art from the Courtauld Institute of Art . She is a lecturer in Art History at the City Literary Institute.

Leda Atomica, 1949 by Salvador Dali. Image: photo Dali Theatre Museum 2017

This lecture tells the fascinating story of the Wallace Collection’s formation, and also presents many of its finest treasures. The collection was brought together by five generations of one family between about 1780 and 1880. All the Founders were remarkable and sometimes rather strange men in their own right, but the greatest collectors were the 4th Marquess of Hertford and his illegitimate son, Sir Richard Wallace.  

Stephen Duffy was formerly Senior Curator of the Wallace Collection. He has given countless tours of the Collection and many lectures on its art and other related subjects. His latest publication, ‘The Discovery of Paris’, is a book on early 19th century watercolour views of Paris by major British artists.

Image courtesy of the Wallace Collection

According to one leading architect, “the modern architectural drawing is interesting, the photograph is magnificent, the building is an unfortunate but necessary stage between the two.” This lecture introduces photographers who crystallised the architects’ vision in images that are both works of art in their own right and shape our opinion of the buildings they depict. The lecture also examines photographers who recorded rural churches, barns and cottages.

Brian Stater has taught at University College London since 1997. He is a member of the Association for Historical and Fine Art Photography and an exhibition of his own photographs has been staged at UCL.

Photo: copyright Ernst Haas family

Actors tell stories that reflect the hopes and anxieties of our times - from Greek tragedy to the Royal Court. Often seen in the past as rogues and vagabonds, the road to respectability was a long and lively journey with some fascinating characters along the way. The start of the 20th century established the actor as an ‘honourable’ profession with the knighthood of Sir Henry Irving, from which emerged the great generation of actors including John Gielgud, Laurence Olivier and Peggy Ashcroft.

Malcolm Jones has worked as an actor, director and teacher. He was Workshop and Events Manager at the V&A Theatre Museum and has lectured on the V&A Short Course Programme and taught at The Actors Centre and RADA. He also teaches an acting course at New Wimbledon Theatre.

Portrait of Edmund Kean in the title role of Richard III by Isaac Cruikshank 1814

Marking the bicentenary of the birth of John Ruskin (1819 – 1900) in 2019, this lecture celebrates the extraordinary life and work of this visionary Victorian. As writer, teacher, artist, collector, patron and critic he continues to generate debate.  His ideas inspired the Arts and Crafts Movement, the founding of the National Trust, the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings and the Labour Movement.

Simon Seligman studied art and architectural history at Warwick University. From 1991 until 2010, he worked at Chatsworth in a variety of roles. He has lectured about Chatsworth and associated topics throughout the UK and on several US tours (including the Metropolitan Museum and the National Gallery of Art). 

Portrait of John Ruskin by John Everett Millais. Image: Wikipedia

DAZZLING DUFY:   INVITATION TO A LUMINOUS FEAST WITH RAOUL DUFY
Speaker:   Mary Alexander

Raoul Dufy (1877-1953) was a key player in early 20th century avant garde art, design and literary/theatrical circles in Paris.  As a widely travelled polymath, Dufy's charismatic personality, wit and curiosity about the world were infectious. His imagination and technical virtuosity, in a range of media, cut across all conventional boundaries. Whether a small intricate woodcut illustrating a love poem, or the truly gigantic 1937 World Fair murals depicting the role of electricity in the modern age, the effect is mesmerising.

Mary Alexander is a freelance lecturer to various arts, heritage and antiquarian societies. Author of many articles on design and visual awareness issues, her background combines an unusual blend of academic and visual communications skills.
 

UNDRESSING ANTIQUES
Speaker:  Mark Hill

“Antiques. I don’t understand them and they’re beyond my budget. Nobody even collects anymore. They’re not for me.” A persuasive introduction to buying antiques and integrating and using them in today’s homes. The state of the antiques market and the different meanings of the word ‘value’ are considered, and we take a look at what current and future generations of collectors are buying, why they are buying it, and how they are displaying it.

Mark Hill founded his own publishing company in 2005 and has since published over 12 books on specialist subjects.  He is a miscellaneous expert on the ‘Antiques Roadshow’, and has co-presented three primetime factual TV series on antiques and collecting for BBC2.

DAZZLE:   DISGUISE & DISRUPTION IN WAR & ART
Speaker:  James Taylor

In 1917 Norman Wilkinson (1878-1971), a first-rate painter and poster designer, invented Dazzle ‘camouflage’. Thousands of British and Allied ships were painted with vivid and violently contrasting patterns of colour to deter U-boat attacks. Discover the life and work of Wilkinson and his Dazzle scheme that continues to inspire art and design. Was it really inspired by Cubism, Futurism and Vorticism? 

James Taylor is a former curator of paintings, drawings and prints at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich. He also lectures and is a ships' historian on board cruise ships. His publications include such varied topics as the history of marine painting, ‘The Voyage of the Beagle’ and the ‘Secret History of the Propaganda Poster’.

AS GOOD AS GOLD:   ITS SIGNIFICANCE AND SYMBOLISM IN THE HISTORY OF ART
Speaker:   Alexandra Epps

Experience the story of gold and its significance and symbolism within the history of art - as the colour of the sun, the colour of divinity, the colour of status and the colour of love. From creations ancient and contemporary, sacred and profane - all that glitters is certainly gold…

Alexandra Epps is an Official Guide and Lecturer at Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Guildhall Art Gallery and Pallant House.  She is a City Lit. Institute Art History Tutor as well as a Guide to the City of London.   She co-authored the book ‘Lord Mayor's Portraits 1983-2014’ (2015). Her background is in design having practised as a graphic designer running her own design consultancy for many years.

CELEBRATING THE ROYAL ACADEMY: 250TH ANNIVERSARY

Speaker:   Pamela Campbell-Johnston

Britain’s oldest fine arts institution has an illustrious history from the mid 18th century through to the 21st century. This fully illustrated talk explores a selection of its ground–breaking temporary loan exhibitions and considers its role and impact on the art scene, both on British soil and overseas.  In addition, anecdotal stories will be revealed by the lecturer as well as a ‘behind the scenes’ look at the Summer Exhibition. 

Pamela Campbell-Johnston lectures at the Royal Academy of Arts as part of the Adult Education Department's programme of events.   She specialises in British Domestic Architecture and Modern British Art. She has also worked at Bonhams, the Art Loss Register and the National Trust.

CARTOONERY: ENGLISH ATTITUDES
Speaker:  Tim Stimson

Caricature, satire and the cartoon have given pleasure, amusement and relief, whilst drawing down censure and puncturing pomposity across class divides, since the 18th century. These pithy encapsulations of the recognisable continue to have relevance today. They are miniature masterpieces.  From the Georgians, Gillray and Rowlandson, to Punch and Strand cartoonists Tenniel and Sambourne, and from Thelwell to Scarfe, these visual drolleries have lost none of their appeal.

 Tim Stimson started as a professional painter/ceramicist before returning to university to study the History of Art. He is now a freelance cultural/art historian, specialising in 17th and 19th century art and society. He lectures for the universities of Cambridge, Nottingham and Hull.

THE QUEEN OF INSTRUMENTS: THE LUTE IN OLD MASTER PAINTING
Illustrated lecture and live performance
Speaker:   Adam Busiakiewicz

The lute holds a special place in the history of art: painters of the Italian Renaissance depicted angels plucking its delicate strings, evoking celestial harmony.  In the 16th century, the lute was a becoming pastime of educated courtiers, as depicted by Holbein and Titian.  Throughout the 17th century, the instrument continued to play a key role in emphasising the intimate, debauched and transient pleasures of interior scenes by Jan Steen and portraits by Frans Hals.

Adam Busiakiewicz is an Independent Art Historian and the youngest Guide Lecturer at the Wallace Collection.  Previously he held the position of Head of Historical Interpretation (Curator) at Warwick Castle.  He has published articles in the ‘British Art Journal’ and ‘Hispanic Lyra’ (Spain’s leading Guitar History publication).

TAMARA DE LEMPICKA:   MISTRESS OF ART DECO
Speaker:  Dr. Claire Walsh

Tamara de Lempicka dazzled Paris’s artistic circles in the 1920/30s and seduced with her stylish portraits. These heady years saw her immortalise the atmosphere of wealth and decadence of Paris.  De Lempicka was one of the few to be able to embody the decorative style of Art Deco in her paintings.  Stunningly beautiful, she engaged in the world of fashion and photography, as well as presenting herself as the quintessential modern, independent young woman.

Dr. Claire Walsh, having previously worked at the V&A and University of Warwick, now lectures for the Open University. She has lectured widely in Britain, including at the Courtauld Institute as well as in Europe, the USA and Canada, and has numerous publications.

THE ARTS AND CRAFTS OF KASHMIR
Speaker:  Zara Fleming

This talk introduces the astonishing diversity of arts and crafts produced in Kashmir, a tiny  snow-capped area of the Himalayas influenced by Buddhist, Hindu and Islamic cultures.  It explores Buddhist sculptures, Hindu temples, great Islamic gardens, paintings, calligraphy, Moghul carpets and Kashmir shawls. Despite its troubled history, Kashmir has fostered a unique environment of artistic diversity and religious co-existence for nearly 2,000 years.

Zara Fleming is a freelance lecturer, art consultant and exhibition curator specialising in the art and culture of Tibet, the Himalayan areas and Mongolia. Initially based at the V&A, she has also worked with many other institutions including the Central Asian Department of Bonn University, the Orient Foundation and the Royal Academy.

ZAHA HADID – ARCHITECTURAL SUPERSTAR
Speaker:   Professor Colin Davies

Zaha Hadid is recognised as one of the most important architects of the early 21st century. This talk tells the story of her career from her visionary projects of the 1980s, through the years of frustration when her designs were considered unbuildable, to the prolific crop of successful projects carried out all over the world in the last decade of her life.  

Professor Colin Davies specialises in Architectural Theory. He was the former editor of ‘Architects Journal’ and contributes to magazines worldwide.  His books include ‘Thinking about Architecture’, ‘Key Houses of the Twentieth Century’ and ‘The Prefab Home’.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Vienna was an exciting artistic and cultural laboratory. It produced painters such as Klimt & Schiele, architects Otto Wagner & Josef Hoffman, the psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, the composer Gustav Mahler and the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. This talk explores how and why Vienna became a cultural hotbed around 1900.

Gavin Plumley is a writer and broadcaster specialising in the culture of Central Europe. He appears frequently on BBC Radios 3 and 4 and has lectured at the National Gallery, the Tate, the V&A and the Neue Galerie, New York.

The Books of Hours are the most famous and richly decorated mediaeval illuminated manuscripts. This talk looks at what these actually are, who uses them and how. It tells how we can date and localise the surviving manuscripts. It will show how they were made, who wrote and illuminated them and what they cost.

Christopher de Hamel, Donnelly Fellow Librarian of Corpus Christi, Cambridge, was responsible for all sales of illuminated manuscripts at Sotheby's for 25 years. He has doctorates from Oxford and Cambridge and has written over 100 books and articles. He is probably the best-known expert on mediaeval manuscripts in the world.

This light-hearted talk explores post-war town-planning and the modern development of a typical English town. What motivated the architects who imposed the absurdities of Modernist architecture on our landscape? Renowned for its dullness, Basingstoke is distinguished only by its numerous roundabouts and unsympathetic architecture. But buried beneath the concrete, lies 'a nobler Basingstoke' and some historic gems that have survived the blight.

Rupert Willoughby read History at the University of London. An experienced lecturer and author, he specialises in domestic and social life of the past. His publications include 'Life in Mediaeval England' and castle guides for English Heritage and Hampshire County Council.

The artists that changed the course of British Art.

Why were foreign painters preferred by the aristocracy in London to native-born English painters? Why did they come and what was the impact of foreigners on English art and practice? This talk will trace foreign artists from the Tudor period to the Renaissance and Baroque. It will examine the contribution of artists such as Holbein, Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger, Isaac Oliver, Van Dyck, Lely and Rubens.

Leslie Primo has a BA in Art History and an MA in Renaissance Studies from Birkbeck, London. A specialist in Early Mediaeval and Renaissance studies, he taught at Reading University. He currently lectures at the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery.

From the first Indus Valley civilisation to the Aryan invasion and the rise of the Mauryan Empire, this talk spans the earliest years of Indian art and culture. Under the Emperor Ashoka, Buddhism spread over much of India while the Guptas created a sophisticated society with flourishing arts, architecture and sculpture. Hindu temples from the 5th century AD and the impact of the 12th century Muslim invasion will also be discussed.

Oliver Everett is Librarian Emeritus of the Royal Library. Educated at Cambridge University, Tufts University USA, and the London School of Economics, he was also in the Diplomatic Service. At one time he was Assistant Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales, and then Private Secretary to Diana, Princess of Wales.

Artists of Northern Norway

The dramatic landscapes of Arctic Norway have attracted visitors since the 19th century when wars made the Grand Tour impossible. The century also saw the rise of national awareness in Norway and an appreciation of the Sublime. Artists such as Normann, Berg & Sinding and the 'father of Norwegian painting' - J C Dahl celebrated the scenery and the clarity of northern light.

Dr Fenella Bazin has lectured for the Universities of Birmingham and Liverpool. She continues her interest in Norwegian art and the Viking world, lecturing on cruises for Voyages of Discovery, Saga and Viking Ocean Cruises.

Judas Iscariot, the apostle who betrayed Christ, was dubbed 'the wickedest man who ever lived' by Pope Leo the Great. Images have played a key role in shaping our view of Judas as arch traitor, money-grabbing miser, caricatured Jew or desperate suicide. This talk traces his pictorial journey from early Christian Rome through mediaeval manuscripts, Gothic sculptures, frescoes and altarpieces to modern musicals & movies.

Janet Robson has a PhD in Art History from the Courtauld Institute of Art. She specialises in early Italian Renaissance art and has lectured at Birkbeck, the Courtauld and Christie's. She has appeared on radio and television as an expert on this subject.

The hot Valencian sun casts shadows amid the bright sunlight on the hot earth, where people cast their fishing nets and till the land. Sorolla captured this light with wonderful brushstrokes. This talk will examine the life and work of this painter whose importance is increasingly recognised and was much admired at the recent RA exhibition 'Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse'.

Jacqueline Cockburn is a linguist and art historian. She lectured on Western European Art at Birkbeck College for 20 years, specialising in Spanish art. She was Head of the Department of Art History at Westminster School, and is Managing Director of Art & Culture Travel Ltd.

The newest V&A Gallery tells the story of furniture design and production spanning 600 years. The talk will show seven different disciplines in furniture making & decorating, from simple turning and joining to highly complex marquetry, including gilding, japanning & veneering. It will act as a guide to this marvellous collection.

Christopher Chanter gives NADFAS talks and runs study days and workshops. Fascinated by restoration and conservation, he is a partner in an historic business making beeswax polish and is a consultant on restoration to the Georgian Group.

Much of North Africa and Ethiopia was Orthodox Christian until the 9th century, followed by 300 years of competition between Islam and Christianity. This talk will range from the rock churches of Lalibella in Ethiopia to mud mosques in West Africa and include discussion of the splendid Al Azhar mosque in Cairo, the recent Ivory Coast basilica modelled on St Peter's in Rome and voodoo shrines in Nigeria.

Dr Thomas has an MA in Developmental Studies and a PhD in History and Political Science. As a political and institutional analyst, he travelled widely in the Mediterranean and the Middle East, studying the cultures of these regions.

American glass artist Dale Chihuly is the superstar of the glass world. With his passion for glass, his larger than life personality, his skills as a natural leader and educator and his constant exploration of glass’s luminous qualities and colour possibilities, he creates glass sculptures which are extravagant, colourful and spectacular.

Charles Hajdamach is one of the country’s top authorities on glass and for 30 years was director of Broadfield House Glass Museum. He has lectured internationally and has written two standard works on British Glass.

Running away from debt and his wife, George Chinnery settled in India for 23 years before running away from debt again to China. This talk covers his portraits of many of the leading figures of the East India Company, most notably Colonel James Kirkpatrick, his 14 year old Indo-Persian wife and their children, key figures in William Dalrymple’s White Mughals, as well as his beautiful scenes of everyday life and landscapes.

Clive Stewart-Lockhart has been working in the fine art world for 46 years. Managing Director of Woolley and Wallis, the UK's leading regional auctioneers, he was a specialist on the BBC Antiques Roadshow for 25 years.  He has recently published a major article in the Journal of the Decorative Arts Society on Betty Joel.
 

Suzanne Valadon 1865-1938 was born into poverty in Montmartre.   Greatly in demand as a model she appears in a number of important works by Toulouse-Lautrec and Renoir.  She also posed for Degas who saw her talent as an artist. She quickly established a reputation as such and was exhibited by leading Parisian dealers.

The Marchesa Luisa Casati 1881-1957 was born into a huge Italian fortune. Painted by Giovanni Boldini, Augustus John, Kees van Dongen as well as being photographed by Man Ray and Cecil Beaton, she became a fashion icon. 

 Julian Halsby is the author of many published books.   He is a member of the International Association of Art Critics and The Critics Circle. A practising artist, he was elected to the Royal Society of British Artists in 1994 and appointed Keeper in 2010.

Architects such as Richard Rogers, Norman Foster, Terry Farrell, Zaha Hadid, Frank Gehry, Daniel Libeskind, Renzo Piano, I.M.Pei, Jean Nouvel and Santiago Calatrava have become international stars or ‘starchitects’. With huge cosmopolitan practices, their creations are hailed as iconic and cutting-edge, but what about the quality? Who was the first starchitect – Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright? Are these star personalities about to disappear into team anonymity?

Clyde Binfield is a graduate of Cambridge University and later became a Professor of History at the University of Sheffield. He has returned to some of his first and last loves – buildings, their creators and their settings.

2020 marks the 500th anniversary of the death of Raphael.  This talk will study his art from the early paintings in Urbino and Florence to its full maturity in Rome in his elegant painting of the School of Athens and the sublime cartoons for Leo X's tapestries in the Vatican, epitomising the grandeur of the High Renaissance.  Meanwhile his skills as an architect were employed not only in designing palaces but even St. Peter's.

Shirley Smith is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and is a tutor for the Board of Continuing Education of Cambridge University. Her essay on ‘The Fresco Decoration in the Sistine Chapel: Biblical Authority and the Church of Rome’ appears in ‘The Bible and the Arts’ published by Edinburgh University Press.

The moving image has been a powerful influence from the first moment a magic lantern flickered into life in the 17th century. In this lecture we will be looking at how the motion pictures industry first developed throughout the late 19th and early 20th century and how it then went on to change the face of entertainment and inspire some of the greatest artists of the period.

Geri Parlby is a former Fleet Street journalist and film PR and has degrees in History, History of Art and Theology. She is a fellow of the RSA and heads Arts courses for Exeter University and NADFAS South West Area.

The lecture explores Captain James Cook’s three extraordinary voyages and their impact on European thought, art and science. His discoveries as explorer and pioneering navigator had a profound influence on the Enlightenment and provided unprecedented information about the Pacific Ocean, the islands and their inhabitants. The lecture will be illustrated with fine drawings, watercolours and large oil paintings by artists who travelled with Cook.

Peter Warwick is an author, navaland military historian and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. He lectures on historic voyages and has advised on TV documentaries.

Cinematic images are modern art forms. In the ‘golden age’ of cinema film-makers had to construct sets to represent landscapes, townscapes and interiors.  Drawing on new insights from the archaeology of cinema, this lecture will use the films of renowned British director David Lean to explore the art of cinema. How do the directors, screenwriters, production designers, costume designers, etc. choose locations, construct sets, dress actors, and, ‘imagine’ the world they seek to represent? How much is authentic, and how much preconception and prejudice?

 Neil Faulkner works as a freelance lecturer, editor, writer, excavator, and occasional broadcaster.  He is author of many books, a director of several archaeological projects and is pioneering the archaeological investigation of cinema.   His TV appearances include Channel Four’s Time Team and BBC2’s Timewatch.

Wine has been part of our global society for over 7,000 years, and the story tells of its origin in all societies across the Mediterranean and throughout Europe. There is rich evidence of the role wine has played and how it became an important component of faith, well-being and festivity.    The lecture will look at the relationship between art and wine including slides of tomb drawings from ancient Egypt, the thermopolia of Pompeii, a spectacular mediaeval building in France, as well as paintings and cartoons.

 David Wright has been a wine retailer, importer and distributor for 30 years. In that time, he has publicly presented tastings and gives talks on wine to trade and private audiences.

In his short life Eric Ravilious created

some of the finest watercolours of

the 20th century along with book

illustrations and ceramic designs.

His contemporary and friend

Edward Bawden was skilled in both

painting and design, creating

posters, linocuts and watercolours.

Part of a ‘golden generation’

of artists emerging in the

mid-1920s, they can now be

seen within the wider artistic

context of their time.

Jo Walton is a freelance

lecturer to the Art Fund and

many societies, specialising

in British art of the 19c and

20c and in the Renaissance

and Baroque periods. She

has been a guide at Tate

Britain and Tate Modern.

Since the birth of human civilisation, dance has been an important part of its ceremonies, rituals, celebrations, and as a means of expression and entertainment.
Using stills and video clips we take an exciting look at dance as an art form from its earliest beginnings,  through the birth and rapid development of ballet throughout Europe and the explosion of modern dance from the early 20th century.

 Jennifer Toynbee-Holmes is an experienced guide at Tate Britain and Tate Modern.   She has had a long-standing career as a television producer/director making documentaries and factual programmes for the BBC, ITV and Channel 4. She was also a visiting lecturer at Goldsmiths College and Birkbeck, University of London and a senior lecturer at Southampton Solent University.

This lecture looks at the art of

cooking purely through its results

upon the table, with raw ingredients

transformed beyond recognition.

Using paintings, illustrations and

photographs, we will go on a culinary

journey from the late Tudor period to

the mid 20th century, considering

how food presentation was

influenced by the wider trends of

each era and reflects notions of

edibility through time.

Annie Gray is a food historian

working as consultant, writer, lecturer

and broadcaster on food and dining.

She gives costumed period cooking

demonstrations and has appeared on

The Great British Bake Off and as a

panellist on Radio 4’s The Kitchen

Cabinet for 23 years.

This lecture covers Islamic art in

some of the most important cities,

sites and museums of the world,

particularly Cordoba, Cairo,

Istanbul, Damascus, Isfahan and

Samarkand. Inspired by religion,

Islamic art encompasses a great

wealth of artistic treasures

including decorated ceramics,

carved wood, metalwork, glass,

tiles, mosaics, carpets, architecture

and gardens, but there is also

secular art in the palaces of Persia

and elsewhere.

Christopher Bradley is an expert on

the Middle East and North Africa.

As a professional tour guide he has

led groups in these areas and is the

author of several guide books.

He is also a photographer and has

made documentaries for the

BBC and Channel 4.

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The High Renaissance saw the seamless integration of art and architecture, a tradition going back over thousands of years.  This lecture tells the fascinating story of how painting and architecture went their separate ways. Embracing the likes of Michelangelo, Watteau, Whistler and Matisse, this broad-ranging survey culminates with the Bauhaus and its legacy in the USA – and ends by asking whether the partnership between art and architecture might be revived in the 21st century.

 Richard Whincop lectured from 1988-1994 at the adult education departments of Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities.  He then went on to become a full-time figurative artist, executing large-scale public commissions, and exhibiting widely throughout the UK.  

The story of how the Fan Museum came to fruition is interwoven with the fascinating biography of its founder, whose personal collection forms the basis of the Museum’s holdings. The Museum contains 5,000+ fans dating from the 10th century to the present day including an especially rare Elizabethan-period embroidered folding fan as well as contemporary examples decorated by street artists.

Jacob Moss obtained a postgraduate degree in Fashion Curation from London College of Fashion in 2010, and took up a position as Curator at The Fan Museum.  In 2018 he was awarded an Art Fund Jonathan Ruffer Curatorial Grant in support of a collections management project in collaboration with the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, New York.

Winner of the 2003 Turner Prize,

Grayson Perry was the first potter to

enter, let alone win this competition.

He creates classically shaped vases

decorated with figures, objects and

text; these often reveal dark subject

matter disguised by their colourful,

decorative nature. He both employs

and subverts the craft of ceramics,

exploring challenging yet witty and

thought provoking themes

which engage directly with

contemporary issues.

Harry Fletcher is a practising

artist and has been a tutor

and examiner in the History of

Art for the Open University.

He has led art appreciation

holidays across Europe and

was Head of Art & Design in a

comprehensive school.

Throughout the history of art, artists have debated whether line or colour was the more important.  In Renaissance Florence, artists maintained that line should take precedence because it controlled the subject matter of a picture, and that colour was a mere enhancement. In 18th century France, artists maintained that colour was more important.   This lecture will explore the changing fortunes of line and colour and show how they reflect changing attitudes towards thinking and feeling in European art as a whole.

Andrew Spira worked at the Temple Gallery, London, before becoming a curator at the V&A and then a Programme Director at Christie's Education.  He is now a freelance art historian, lecturing, writing and curating exhibitions and has published two books.

The son of a Northumberland farmer,

Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown became

the most influential of all landscape

gardeners in Great Britain, sweeping

away the formal gardens of earlier

centuries and replacing them with

rolling parkland, woods and lakes.

The lecture celebrates the 300th

anniversary of Brown’s birth and

discusses his work by looking at a

range of his own landscapes beginning

with Stowe and including Harewood,

Croome, Bowood and Alnwick.

Christopher Rogers studied Geography

at Oxford, where he became interested

in country house architecture and has

given lectures on the subject ever since.

He lectures for the National Trust and at

Marlborough College’s summer schools.

The talk will mark the 600th anniversary of the birth of this enigmatic painter, whose works radiate serenity and spirituality. His figures are set in a timeless landscape lit by clear light and encapsulate the harmony of man and his world that was at the heart of Italian Renaissance thought.

The paintings are a fusion of northern and southern influences of light and logic.

Shirley Smith studied History of Art at the University of East Anglia where she is a part-time lecturer, specialising in the Italian and Northern Renaissance. She is a Fellow of the RSA and lectures to the Art Fund and other societies.

In 1888 Gertrude Jekyll wrote a short but seminal article in The Garden in which she urged the readers to ‘remember that in a garden we are painting a picture’.  This talk looks at how to apply these principles in designing a border.   Exploring the ways in which a border is different from a painting, the lecture looks at how contemporary work by Turner, Monet, Rothko, Jackson Pollock, and Hockney evolved in parallel with ideas about what a garden or border should look like.

Timothy Walker has given 1,500 public lectures since 1986, originally as part of his work as director of the Oxford University Botanic Garden from 1988 to 2014.   Since 2014 he has been a college lecturer and tutor at Somerville College Oxford. 

This lecture tells the fascinating story of everything that goes into making a traditional hand-bound book. Why was the best paper made from peasants’ old clothes, where was leather tanned, why cannot gold leaf be touched by hand, why do printers do everything upside down and backwards, why is bookbinding said to be the most complex of all hand crafts? The answers to these and other questions make a beguiling and enchanting story.

Dominic Riley is a bookbinder, teacher, writer and film maker, specializing in the restoration of antiquarian books and the creation of contemporary fine bindings. His prize-winning works have been acquired by the UK’s leading libraries.

From the earliest days of Christianity, the story of the Three Kings from the East bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, has fascinated story-tellers and artists alike. This lecture traces the ways in which artists across the centuries have chosen to represent the Magi. In the Western Christian church the Magi, commonly known as Melchior, Caspar and Balthasar, are all regarded as saints.

Christopher Herbert lectures on medieval art and architecture, especially that of Flanders, France and Italy. He has an MPhil and PhD in Art History and was Bishop of St Albans from 1995 to 2009.

      WIDFAS SUPPER PARTY & QUIZ

            Following  the sold - out success of last year’s evening and by popular request, we will be holding another fun-packed festive frolic on WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 4th at 7.00 P.M. in the Lounge at Sacred Heart.

Come with friend, spouse or Significant Other by all means but you will draw for teams on arrival when you will pull out a name from a Lucky Dip bag ; it might say “The Hermitage”,”The Prado” or “Tate Modern”  –  you get the idea. You have to circulate, glass in hand, looking for four others who have drawn the same Team Name.  You will also find a table with the Team Name indicated and a member of the Committee will join you there  –  this person will be your scribe, faithfully writing down your informative answers to the questions asked most of which will be shown on the screen e.g you might see a picture of the Mona Lisa and be asked by what other name is she known  or what job did Gauguin do before he went to Tahiti or more challenging, what was the name of the artist whose giant spider was displayed outside Tate Modern a few years ago? This quiz is tailor- made for Widfas members as the four rounds are all on artists, pictures , sculptures, statues and matters of that ilk, so no problem! The object of the evening is to have fun and have time to talk to members you have only glimpsed in the more formal evenings when we have our lectures. Beware! Numbers are limited to fifty four  so as they say, “Book early to avoid disappointment!”

This lecture will coincide with the National Gallery’s exhibition in autumn 2015. Goya worked in many different media with varied subjects, but in his powerful and original portraits he turned his critical eye directly on his contemporaries. His sitters came from many different walks of life, including members of the Spanish Royal Family. How could he dare to be so unflattering and provocative?

Gail Turner specializes in the art and architecture of Spain where she tours as a lecturer. She also teaches at summer schools in Cambridge, at the Courtauld and the V&A.

Historic buildings are often not what they seem, nor how we confidently and wrongly believe they ought to look. The lecture will challenge some received wisdom, show examples of odd things done to old buildings and offer some surprises. It will touch on the tricky philosophical issues of authenticity. When does a restoration become a replica?

Philip Venning retired in 2012 after 28 years as Secretary of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings and has served on numerous national bodies devoted to the preservation and restoration of our historic buildings.

Few countries offer such a rich and varied cultural heritage as Mexico, where arts and crafts remain a part of life. Textiles, ceramics, gold and silverwork and other ancient skills combine Aztec, Maya and Spanish traditions. Painters such as Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo have enhanced Mexico’s popular traditions. The work of many Mexican folk-artists is part of the British Museum’s collections.

Chloë Sayer is a freelance specialist in Latin American art and culture. She is a collector, fieldworker for the British Museum, curator and author of books for Thames & Hudson and the B.M.

The lecture follows the extraordinary life of Richard Gibson, from his obscure childhood, his training in art and his career at Court both as a page (he was only 3 feet 10 inches tall) and later as the royal painter of miniatures. He worked under Charles I, survived the Interregnum and was appointed limner to Charles II and art teacher to the princesses Mary and Anne.

Simon Rees studied English Literature at Cambridge and is now a freelance writer and lecturer on art history, literature and opera, having worked as Dramaturg for Welsh National Opera for 23 years.

This lecture offers an insight into the process and drama of putting together a ‘blockbuster’ exhibition: who decides the subject, what objects to include and how to get them to London. Anna will share the trials, tribulations and joys of getting from the idea to the opening night and will cover the range of practicalities that open the door to the inner workings of a museum.

Anna Harnden studied Art History and Curating at the Courtauld Institute, has worked at the Wallace Collection and curated exhibitions for the British Museum and galleries in the UK and abroad. ?????

We are bombarded by photographs every day and most of us use a camera and are very familiar with photos. Do we accept that the best photographs are Fine Art? This lecture argues that they can equal, if not to say exceed, the traditional disciplines of the arts. The lecture is illustrated with the works of acknowledged masters of photography.

Brian Stater’s chief interests lie in photography, architecture and history. He has taught at University College, London, since 1997, and has exhibited there. He now uses a pre-war Leica camera.

This lecture will focus on a number of the feuds and disputes in the art world

Barry Venning is a British Art Historian with a particuar interest in the work of Turner on whom he has published widely. He has also written a study of Constable's paintings. His interests and teaching extend from medieval architecture to contemporary British Art. He is an Associate Lecturer with the Open University and a freelance lecturer.

This lecture has been changed. It is not as detailed in the published programme

Edwin Lutyens has given us some of the most beautiful buildings of the 20th century, whether Arts & Crafts country houses or grand government buildings. Displaying a lightness of touch and even a sense of humour, combined with a mastery of architectural principles and meticulous attention to detail, he was greatly in demand and his commissions spanned the globe and the British Empire in particular.

Nicholas Merchant has worked for major auction houses and is a dealer in Fine Art books. He has a special interest in 18th century English furniture, country houses and royal collections.

Mary Alexander studied Art History at University College London, has written on design and visual awareness, worked at Pentagram and been a Curator of a costume museum.

Anthea Streeter became deeply interested in 20th century architecture and design while continuing her studies at Harvard and now lectures widely on these subjects.

Anna Hallett was born in the Netherlands, has written books on Almshouses and Markets & Marketplaces of Britain and has made a special study of Amsterdam and Dutch tile-making.

Lizzie Darbyshire is a graduate of the Courtauld and lectures in the History of Art, concentrating on Victorian and Impressionist painters. She is an editor for the Living Paintings Trust and founded a school Art Appreciation Club.

Shirley Smith studied History of Art at the University of East Anglia specializing in the Italian and Northern Renaissance. She is a Fellow of the RSA and lectures widely, setting art in the context of the society for which it was produced.

Diana Lloyd studied at the Inchbald School of Interior Design and at Christie’s Education. She lectures in Ceramics, Glass and the History of Interior Design.

Brian MacDonald has lived in Iran and Afghanistan, has travelled and worked among tribal groups and is now a dealer and consultant in antique rugs and carpets.

John Ericson was previously Director of Education Studies at Bath University and has lectured on colour, illusions and visual interpretation.

Deborah Lambert is curator of the Schroder Collection, a private art collection. She studied for her MA in the History of Art at the Courtauld Institute. Until taking up her present post, she worked for many years as an academic director and lecturer for Christie's Education. She appears regularly as a furniture specialist on the Antiques Roadshow.

Roger is a professional writer, lecturer, and photographer. Since 2006 has been the News & Features Editor of Vidimus, an online magazine. He is the author of 'Medieval Wall Paintings in English and Welsh Churches' (2008); 'A history of Stained Glass' (2012) and 'The Medieval Monastery' (2012).

Malcolm Kenwood is an experienced retired specialist police and private detective who investigated the theft of art and antiques. He was formerly the Recoveries Director for the Art Loss Register which operates an international commercial database of stolen cultural property. (Wine and mince pies will be served after the lecture)

Caroline MacDonald-Haig is a design and decorative arts journalist and author. She is a London Blue Badge Guide, specialising in themed tours for American Museums and Art Galleries.