We apologise for the very short notice, but our lecturer Stella Lyons, due to the extreme heat conditions, is unable to make the journey from South Wales to deliver the talks tomorrow.

Instead, she has offered to present the lectures via Zoom.  Please do not turn up at the village hall, but use the links below to watch/listen to the lectures.  (To be transmitted at 11am and 2pm)

You will need to register for the talks but there is no password. Registration simply requires you to enter your name and email address and Zoom will immediately send you an individual joining link.

NB: take care when entering your email address – any typo will prevent the link from reaching you.

This is the link to register for the 11am talk:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_GMcBANAeQwyU6v5MBDxE9g

 This is the link to register for the 2pm talk:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_k_IZg5aFRjuY10Bgj57Ciw

 Stella will open each talk 20 minutes beforehand, so there's time for everyone to login in good time. If anyone has any problems you can email Stella (see email set to members)  beforehand, up until the talk begins.  It is a webinar so you will see/hear her but not see each other. 

 Thank you so much for your understanding.

Hopper was a painter of loneliness and melancholy; from solitary figures in offices, motel rooms and diners, to deserted towns. He portrayed a changing America and the isolation of the individual in the modern city. His works are visually stunning; characterised by striking colours, cinematic and cropped compositions which heighten tension. Flooded with light, his paintings expose detached figures and create a mood of eerie uneasiness.

Before the British arrived in India, the Indian subcontinent was ruled by the Mughal Emperors. The stunning buildings and gardens they constructed from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century have left an indelible stamp on India’s architectural and cultural landscape. Mughal architecture fused elements from Islamic, Persian, Turkish and Indian architectural traditions and gave rise to some of the most beautiful and iconic buildings in the world - palaces, mosques, gardens and mausoleums.

The cross cultural journey of a mysterious medieval motif - three hares running in a circle sharing three ears which form a triangle at the centre of the design - is found carved in oak in sixteen churches in Devon. Curiously it is found also in sixteen sixth-to-ninth century Buddhist cave temples on the edge of the Gobi desert in China. This talk will explore the sacred journey of the Three Hares through the holy places of Christianity, Judaism and Buddhism before uncovering fascinating links to precious portable objects from the Islamic World and the great Mongol Empire.

There’s a well known expression, Vedi Napoli e poi muori - See Naples and Die, however it doesn’t mean what you might think. It means that Naples and the surrounding area is so beautiful that once you have seen it you may die happy. Actually to our northern European eyes life in the city is frenetic but among the chaos can be found a plethora of treasures - cathedrals, churches, castles, palaces, wonderful works of art and an amazing archaeological museum. This perhaps is not surprising as the new city, Nea Polis, was founded by the Greeks who were followed by Romans, Byzantines, Normans, Germans, French, Bourbons (Spanish) and finally Romans again.

Located at the northernmost point of the Jutland peninsula in Denmark, Skagen is an attractive spot in the summer for its unusual light. From the 1870s to the beginning of the 20th century this fishermen village was home to an artists’ colony. Reacting against styles enforced by the Academies and influenced instead by French modernism, they painted en plein air and represented scenes from ordinary life. Fishermen at work, social gatherings and domestic scenes are common in their works. They are especially renowned for their depictions of the particular light of long summer evenings.

Learn how one company came to control the world’s flow of diamonds into the marketplace for over a century. The DeBeers Diamond Cartel convinced diamond miners & traders to only buy or sell via their single market channel, forming a bond so tight it was impossible to move diamonds without them. At one time, DeBeers held 40,000,000 carats of rough diamonds in a 3 storey basement vault in London - a 20 year supply of gemstones. DeBeers took the jewellery market by storm with the slogan “A Diamond is Forever” voted the advertising slogan of the century. Learn how DeBeers really did “Romance the Stone”.

For over forty years, Winston Churchill was a keen amateur artist. He painted from 1915, right down to his retirement in the1950s. His landscapes record almost every country which he visited as a distinguished statesman. Churchill discussed painting with Noel Coward, who was another keen amateur artist for over forty years. Indeed, Churchill persuaded Coward to stop using watercolour and convert to full oil painting. In Britain, Coward painted in or near his two Kentish homes, in Italy and other Mediterranean locations but the majority of his paintings are of Jamaica. Coward of course used wit and humour in many of his plays and musicals, as well as in his personal life.

The first edition of the Venice Biennale was in 1895, thirty years after London’s “Great Exhibition”, and at a time when tourism and cultural events were springing up around Europe. Attracting a crowd of 224,000 visitors, and only pausing during the two world wars it has become a hugely significant art show and has inspired hundreds of other biennales, from Liverpool, Rio and Shanghai. Over forty countries send representatives to their “pavilions”. It has had a huge impact on the Contemporary Art world.

Behind the front door of a modest terraced house in Cambridge lies an  extraordinary Victorian hand painted interior. Working class decorative artist David Parr (1854-1927) spent many years decorating the finest churches and grandest homes in the country. In his precious spare time he painted the walls of his own home with designs inspired by those he had worked on professionally, adapting them to create his own palace of art at 186 Gwydir Street Cambridge.

She is one of the most intriguing and exotic figures in history. Three thousand years ago the Queen of Sheba travelled with a caravan of hundreds of camels, laden with unimaginable riches, through the Arabian deserts to meet King Solomon in Jerusalem. Their coming together is detailed in the wonderful Arezzo frescoes by Piero della Francesca. It is also one of the world’s oldest love stories, as told by poets and artists in Ethiopian and Arabian folklore. Freed from historical constraints, the imaginations of classical artists have run wild with fabulous palaces and surreal landscapes. Finally we look at the real evidence of the Kingdom of Sheba, the ruins of the capital Marib and see what the Queen might really have looked like and it isn’t Gina Lollobrigida!

Christopher Bradley: An expert in the history and culture of the Middle East and North Africa, he’s a professional tour guide and lecturer and has led groups throughout the Middle East and Asia. He writes extensively on Arabia. As a film producer and cameraman Chris made documentaries for the BBC, National Geographic TV and Channel 4.

Please note Lectures take place in the Village Hall Goring at 11am and 2pm. Doors open at 10am and 1pm. Coffee and tea are served before lectures.

The Maya lived in Central America between 1,000 BC and 1528 at which time they were conquered by the Spaniards. The peak of their civilisation was between 300 and 900 AD.

During that time they built enormous monuments, produced jade and ceramic items of great beauty and developed a calendar that was far more advanced than anything in Europe at the time. They had an advanced understanding of mathematics and astronomy and developed a hieroglyphic script which scholars are beginning to decipher, allowing us to understand their achievements much more fully.

Duncan Pring: Educated at Oxford and London with a PhD Thesis on “The Preclassic Ceramics of Northern Belize”. Subsequent articles are mainly on Mayan ceramics.

Please note Lectures take place in the Village Hall Goring at 11am and 2pm. Doors open at 10am and 1pm. Coffee and tea are served before lectures.

An abstract painter in the 1930s, a writer, critic and typographer and his love of architecture - especially medieval churches and stained glass - made him a highly sensitive observer of his surroundings. During the Second World War he became one of the best known Official War Artists. Piper’s friendships with figures from the worlds of literature, ballet and music led him in further creative directions. He worked on the Shell Guides to Britain with his close friend John Betjeman, and designed sets and costume for the operas of Benjamin Britten. In his fifties he began to design stained glass, creating monumentally beautiful windows for the New Coventry Cathedral and the Metropolitan Cathedral in Liverpool as well as tiny, jewel like lunettes for country churches near his home in Buckinghamshire.

Jo Walton: Jo has combined teaching and lecturing with a career in art bookselling and has been a volunteer guide at both Tate Britain and Tate Modern. Now a freelance lecturer for the Arts Society, The National Gallery, The Art Fund and local art societies.

Lectures take place in the Village Hall Goring at 11am and 2pm. Doors open at 10am and 1pm. Coffee and tea are served before lectures.

“Okay” quipped the 20th century’s greatest architect, “you want a fountain, I will make a fountain, but behind it I will place a city for three million inhabitants”. Love skyscrapers? Thank Le Corbusier. Hate skyscrapers? Blame Le Corbusier. Charles-Edouard Jeanneret, known as Le Corbusier, was a Swiss-French architect, designer, painter, urban planner and writer, who was one of the pioneers what is now regarded as modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930.

Ed Glinert: He’s a much published author, cruise ship speaker and prolific tour guide. He has written more than a dozen books including ‘The London Compendium’ (Penguin 2003), ‘The Manchester Compendium’ (Penguin 2008) and ’111 Places in Yorkshire You Shouldn't Miss’ (Emons 2021). He has also edited the entire Sherlock Holmes canon for Penguin Classics. He specialises in music, literature, architecture and art.

Please note Lectures take place in the Village Hall Goring at 11am and 2pm. Doors open at 10am and 1pm. Coffee and tea are served before lectures.

Based in the North German city of Lubeck the league was formed in the 12th century as a mutual trading association against a background of strife and lawlessness. Gradually over a   period of 400 years this association formed a network which enabled trade to flourish throughout Europe, from Bergen in the north to London and latterly to Spain and the Mediterranean. Trade was not the only beneficiary for with trade was also carried ideas and artistic concepts.

Nicholas Merchant: He has worked for some of the major auction houses in London as well as running his own book business devoted to the decorative and fine arts. His particular interest is English 18th century furniture and country houses. He lectures extensively both in the UK and abroad.

Please note Lectures take place in the Village Hall Goring at 11am and 2pm. Doors open at 10am and 1pm. Coffee and tea are served before lectures.

What is the origin of the double portrait? Are the sitters posed in a single image or in two separate portraits meant to hang together? And what happens if one of the paintings is lost? What do these images tell us about the subjects, for example, is there a power struggle going on between the two figures? Is there a male/female hierarchy? Are same gender double portraits simply a modern notion or have they been around for much longer?

Alice Foster: A lecturer for Oxford University Department of Continuing Education since 1998, also a regular contributor at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, and at the Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock. Alice organises history of Arts study days and undertakes lecture tours both in the UK and in Europe.

Please note Lectures take place in the Village Hall Goring at 11am and 2pm. Doors open at 10am and 1pm. Coffee and tea are served before lectures.

Whether criticised as bad tempered and smelly, or ridiculed as a horse designed by a committee the camel gets some bad press. This lecture takes us on a journey across the centuries and around the world to consider the place of camels in art, literature and global cultures.

Eamonn Gearon: Eamonn is an author, historian and recovering journalist who lived and worked across the greater Middle East - from Kabul to Casablanca - for more than 20 years. As well as living in the Sahara with the Bedu, he is a noted camel expert and has conducted a number of solo, camel-powered expeditions ….and has never lost money when selling a camel!

Each of these cities has its own individual personality and art treasures. Toledo has its Visigoth and Moorish background. Avila, active in the campaign for Christian reconquest has its fortified walls and was the birthplace of the 16th century reformer St. Teresa. Segovia surprises with its fairytale castle, Roman aqueduct and wealth of Romanesque churches. Salamanca has its university and great ‘plaza’, and Madrid its superlative museums and neoclassical boulevards.

Gail Turner: Historian, art historian painter and lecturer, Gail is passionate about Spain and Spanish topics. In the past she lad tours to Spain for the Arts Society and Martin Randall Travel. She lectured in the Prado Royal Academy of San Fernando in Madrid in the 1980s. In 2015 Gail was awarded the Encomienda de Isable la Catolica (the equivalent of the CBE) by the King of Spain for promoting Spanish culture among British audiences.

POTS and FROCKS: THE WORLD of GRAYSON PERRY

Best known for his outlandish appearances dressed as his feminine alter ego, Claire, Sir Grayson Perry is now a core part of the art establishment, a Knight of the Realm, Turner Prize winner, Royal Academician, popular broadcaster and colourful character. He’s possibly one of the world’s best known contemporary artists. His works of ceramics, textiles, tapestries and prints are highly sought after.

Ian Swankie: A Londoner with a contagious enthusiasm for art and architecture, Ian is an official guide at Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Guildhall Art Gallery and St. Paul’s Cathedral. He is also a freelance London tour guide.

Founded in 1824, the National Gallery in London’s Trafalgar Square houses one of the world’s finest collection of European paintings. In contrast to its peers however, this institution did not begin its life as a royal collection: the Gallery was found by parliament and remains reliant on public funding. These ten paintings show how our vision of the ‘ideal’ art collection has evolved over time, along with  ideas of the kinds of people the Gallery was supposed to serve.

Jonathan Conlin: Cultural historian of modern Britain and Professor of Modern History at the University of Southampton. In 2023 he was commissioned by the National Gallery to write its bicentenary history. All his talks draw on his own archival research, allowing him to give audiences insights into how historians approach different kinds of evidence, the gaps and dead ends as well as the surprise discoveries

Darling’s daring rescue of steamship passengers off the Northumbrian coast in 1838 brought her international fame. The artistic contribution of her bravery and short life has helped to keep her in the public eye. Grace became the ‘poster girl’ of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and was the first woman awarded their medal for gallantry. The 200th anniversary of the founding of the RNLI is in 2004.

Dr. James Taylor: Studied at the Universities of St.Andrews and Manchester, and is a former curator of paintings, drawings and prints, and co-ordinator of various exhibitions and galleries, at the National Maritime Museum Greenwich, also lecturer and ship’s historian on cruise ships

The Baroque Style, which developed in England in the late 17th century led to some of the most exciting and imaginative architecture ever produced in Britain. The pioneering career of Sir Christopher Wren transformed English architecture setting it on new lines. Wren is not only important for the work he produced but for the opportunities he gave to a school of craftsmen working under him.

Barbara Peacock: Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. 35 years' lecturing experience. Organises art and architectural tours in UK and abroad. Previously lecturer for Birmingham University Department of Extra-Mural studies and Tutor in Fine Art, Dept of Continuing Education, Southampton University; Assistant Keeper of Fine Art, Birmingham City Art Gallery. 

Fake News has always been around since the time of the Egyptian pharaohs and art has always been one of its favourite media. This talk will uncover the subtle art of spin and propaganda in art from the glories of Ancient Mesopotamia to the Norman Conquest and the dark days of Nazi Germany.

Every picture tells a story - whether it is true or not is an entirely different matter.

Geri Parlby: Geri is a former Fleet Street journalist and film PR. She has a first class honours degree in History and Theology, a Masters in History of Art from the Courtauld Institute and a Theology doctorate from Roehampton University.

Four men from Scotland, Samuel Peploe, Francis Cadell, George Hunter and John Ferguson, each influenced by innovations in the early 20th century French art, produced colourful and memorable paintings. Following their careers and individual styles they are placed within the development of Scottish Art at that time.

Elaine Hansen: Has a Master’s degree in education and taught for twenty seven years. She now splits her year between Italy and Scotland. After taking early retirement she was free to pursue her passion, Art History which she studied at the universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde. She became a guide at Kelvingrove Art Gallery Glasgow in 2009 and gives lectures to her fellow guides. In Italy she researches her Italian lectures and in Glasgow attends seminars relating to her areas of expertise in Scottish Art.

Chinese Wallpapers create an extraordinary visual and with their exquisitely painted largescale designs they blur the boundaries between fantasy and reality, the extraordinary and the mundane.  They first appeared in Britain in the early 1700s and quickly took fashionable society by storm. Their exotic subject matter, rich colours and fine details were far superior to other wallpapers of the time and their non-repeating designs of landscapes or Chinese life formed a dazzling panorama that ran all around the room. By the end of the 18th century there was barely a country house in Britain that did not boast at least one, if not more rooms decorated in this way.

Jo Banham: is a freelance curator, lecturer and writer. From 2006-2016 she was Head of Adult Learning at the Victoria & Albert Museum, and before that Head of Learning and Access at the National Portrait Gallery, and Head of Public Programmes at Tate Britain.  She has published on many aspects of Victorian and early 20th century decoration and interiors. She is a Director of the Victorian Society Summer School.

Captain Cook’s fame largely rests on his three expeditions to the Pacific but in addition to their important role in the history of European exploration, they are notable for the first such voyages to include professional artists among the crew. These artists recorded places visited, people, flora and fauna encountered.

Prasannajit de Silva: Completed his doctorate in 2007, researching the art of the British in India during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. His lecturing covers British visual culture of the eighteenth, nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, including art produced in various colonial settings. 

One of the most beautiful cities of the ancient world, her wealth and power are displayed in gorgeous monuments, while her people, wealthy, sophisticated and cosmopolitan, are preserved in their hauntingly beautiful funeral portraits. We’ll see Palmyra’s meteoric rise and its dramatic fall, its rediscovery by English Lords, its influence on art and architecture and then its desecration by Isis.

Paul Roberts: Head of the Department of Antiquities at the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology, Oxford University.

In May 1746 the great Venetian artist Canaletto moved to England. For the next 9 years he created nearly 150 works of art showing us Georgian England, from the Lord Mayor’s show and the construction of Westminster Bridge to the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, Eton College and Warwick Castle.

Andrew Davies: Extra-Mural Tutor for London, Essex and The Open University; author of nine books , including “The East End Nobody Knows”; frequent contributor to radio and television; has lectured all over the world; organises walks to complement his lectures.

At the end of the 17th century Poland was the largest state in Europe, but within a hundred years it had been partly absorbed into the Russian empire. The Poles reacted to Russia’s brutal suppression by developing a strong cultural identity in which artists played a key role. Chopin came to be seen as an indispensable symbol of the Polish nation, both during his lifetime and in the years before Poland regained its independence in 1918.

Rosamund Bartlett: A writer, lecturer and translator, whose work as a cultural historian ranges across the arts. She is the author of several books and contributes regularly to Proms events and opera broadcasts on the BBC. 

A Zoom link will be sent to members on 07/06/2023

Soho has always been the poorer cousin of London’s West End.  Whilst the aristocracy lived in their large mansions just across Regent Street in the district of Mayfair, it was to Soho that they came to have fun and party.  This vibrant new virtual tour tells the incredible story of how it was transformed from open farmland 350 years ago to an area plagued by prostitution, frequented by European radicals and lived in by some of the most creative people ever to pass through London.

In the language of medieval colour symbolism, blue was deemed the most precious of all. It conjured the colour of the sky and, by extension, the colour of heaven, God’s dwelling place. As a result, lapis lazuli, the precious purple-blue stone only available from northeastern Afghanistan, was much sought after during the Middle Ages.

Sally Dormer: Lecturer and tutor for the Early Medieval Year Course at V&A. Dean of 'European Studies' for two US Universities. Freelance lecturer for The Art Fund. Study tours, cruises and tour groups.

Caroline of Ansbach, Queen-Consort of George II, and four times Queen-Regent, was rightfully called ‘The Illustrious’ by her contemporaries. For the first ten years of George II’s reign until her early death (1737), Caroline largely governed England with Sir Robert Walpole.

Sculptors Giovanni Battista Guelfi and John Rysbrack, the poets John Gay, Thomas Tickell and the Whig journalist Joseph Addison, a particular favourite, were all welcomed to her salons. Isaac Newton was carried in his chair from his house nearby. Despite being a Roman Catholic and a Tory with a leaning to Jacobitism, the poet and garden designer, Alexander Pope, was a frequent visitor because his genius stood before every other consideration for Caroline. By attracting many of those who were shaping the political and cultural landscape of early eighteenth-century England to her salons, Caroline promoted the Hanoverian dynasty and satisfied her interests in art, architecture, gardens, literature and science.

Dr Ann Benson: A writer and lecturer on Garden, Landscape and Architectural History specialising in the Tudor, Stuart and early Georgian periods, she teaches and lectures for the Society of Antiquaries, the Gardens Trust, the Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain and many local history groups.

The Australian indigenous people possess probably the oldest continuous culture on our planet. From the extraordinary early rock and cave art to the modern oil painting, these artists are great storytellers, passing their mystic culture and sense of the sacred nature of the landscape down the generations.

Georgina Bexon: An art historian specialising in South Asian art, her practice includes lecturing, writing, consulting and collecting. She is Consultant Art Historian at the Oriental Club in London and an official tour guide at Tate Modern.

Please note that our February lecture will be via Zoom. Details of how to access the lecture will be sent to members via email a few days before the lecture. 

Master Masons both designed the buildings and ran the site. They commanded everything, whether it was sourcing the vast quantities of wood and stone, recruiting the workforce, or knowing enough about their various trades to be able to create heaven on earth out of the cacophony of thousands of chisels and hammers.

Imogen Corrigan: Has a background in Anglo-Saxon & Medieval History and Art. Works as a freelance lecturer across Britain and Europe, as well as lecturing on small cruise ships and running study tours

Please note that our January lecture will be via Zoom. Details of how to access the lecture will be sent to members via email a few days before the lecture. 

Some of Japan’s most famous gardens provide a context for understanding the principles of Japanese garden design as it has evolved through the ages. The Japanese love of nature and the changing seasons has manifested itself in the subject matter of paintings and in the intimate and grand-scale gardens surrounding aristocratic palaces and Buddhist temples, as well as Zen-inspired dry landscape gardens with their strikingly symbolic content.

Professor Marie Conte-Helm: Was DG of the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation for 12 years and has held senior academic posts at various UK universities. She is widely published, has lectured throughout the UK and abroad and was awarded an OBE in 2011 for services to UK-Japan educational and cultural relations

A history of the female designers who have dominated the British ceramics industry since the 1920s and the astonishing impact of their styles for tableware and decorative ceramics that have influenced the world. Each of them has a story.

Paul Atterbury: Was a regular contributor on Antiques Roadshow as part of the Miscellaneous department. He lectures around the world on his love of objects from the 19th and 20th centuries, and has written several books about ceramics, silver, design and antiques.

Walter Sickert’s art is sometimes difficult to appreciate – his background as a pupil of Whistler, his friendship with Degas and the development of his unique style. He was a truly international figure, moving between London, Paris, Dieppe and Venice. However, in 1905 he settled in London and collected around him a group of young artists called the Camden Town Group.

Julian Halsby: Studied History of Art and is a lecturer widely published. He interviews artists for the Artist Magazine and is a member of the International Association of Art Critics and The Critics Circle

The development of the British seaside and how the entertainments there evolved. Pierrot troupes and concert parties were ubiquitous throughout the seaside resorts of Britain – but what is a pierrot troupe?

Tony Lidington: A showman, researcher and teacher for over 35 years, he has run theatre venues, companies, festivals and events. He specialises in historical popular entertainment forms and their application to contemporary contexts.

Venue: Goring Village Hall

A key player in early 20th-century avant-garde art, design and literary/theatrical circles, Dufy defied categorisation, constantly innovating and experimenting with new materials and effects that cut across all conventional boundaries.

Mary Alexander:  MA in History of Art from UCL.  Freelance lecturer to various arts, heritage and antiquarian societies.  Lectured for ADFAS Australia and New Zealand.

Venue: Goring Village Hall

Please note there is a change in the lecture to the one originally scheduled for May 

How was Napoleon such an excellent self promoter? What was it that drove him? What on the other hand drove his wife? And what was it that made Napoleon and Josephine one of the most followed couples in history? These questions can be answered giving a true insight into their character by exploring the collections at the Chateau de Malmaison. The Estate, which was bought by the couple as their private retreat, away from the Pomp and Ceremony of the Official Residences, was made into a National Museum in 1905 amassing a huge collection of their possessions. Paintings, personal objects, complete room layouts, and some magnificent pieces of porcelain are just some of the things on display.

Venue: Goring Village Hall

Fine art has provided advertisers and their agencies with a great deal of material to use in their creative campaigns.  This lecture describes some of the processes by which these advertisements have been created and why the works of Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael and Michelangelo have been a particularly rich source. From the Renaissance through to the present day fine art continues to provide opportunities to enhance Brand imagery with admiration, humour, satire and irony.

Tony Rawlins:  Started in advertising in 1965 as a mailroom boy, worked his way to the top as a director. Went on to found his own agency.

February and March 2022 lectures will remain online. Details of how to access the lecture will be sent to members beforehand.

The history of opera in England, exploring Britain's rich operatic tradition from Henry Purcell to Harrison Birtwistle.

Roger Askew:  Chorister at Wells Cathedral School and choral scholar at Magdalen College, Oxford. Director of Music at Daniel Stewart's and Melville College, Edinburgh prior to retirement.

February and March 2022 lectures will remain online. Details of how to access the lecture will be sent to members beforehand.

The story of the infamous bulb speculation in 17th century Holland.  During the same period artists began to specialise in flower paintings, producing works of incredible technical sophistication and hyper-realism.

Tulips first appeared in Western Europe during the second half of the 16th century, having originated from the Ottoman Empire. The tulip, with its intense petal colour, was different from every other flower known to Europe at that time. The bulbs were introduced to the Netherlands by the botanist Carolus Clusius of Leiden University, and because of their beauty and rarity they rapidly became highly desirable.

Because of the East Indies trade and the development of various industries, the Netherlands was the richest European nation by the early 17th century. The city-dwelling merchants, professionals and artisans aimed to display their new found wealth by the purchase of luxury goods such as tableware and paintings. The very rich obtained grand estates surrounded by flower gardens in which the tulip had pride of place.

During the same period artists began to specialise in flower paintings. Members of the Bosschaert family, Jacob Marrel and Anthony Claesz the younger produced works of incredible technical sophistication and, hyper-realism. The paintings were purchased by those who perhaps wanted substitutes for the real thing.

Tulip mania reached its peak during the winter of 1636–37. In February 1637, tulip bulb contract prices collapsed abruptly and the trade in tulips ground to a halt. The financial effects of the collapse are still a subject of debate but certainly the many failures to honour a contract of payment sullied the reputations of those who had formerly been pillars of their communities.

Martin Heard:  History of Art, Manchester University followed by fine art publishing.

January and February 2022 lectures will remain online. Details of how to access the lecture will be sent to members beforehand.

What skills did it take for a woman to become a painter in 17th-century Europe?  She is a rarity who ranks amongst the greatest painters of that era.

Chantal Brotherton-Ratcliffe:  MA in History of Art (Edinburgh) and PhD from Warburg Institute.  Since 1989 Chantal has taught at Sotheby's Institute of Art on the MA in Fine and Decorative Arts.

From September until November 2021 lectures will remain online. Details of how to access the lecture will be sent to members beforehand.

The contribution that 'wine art' makes to our colourful world, paintings of wine being made, wine being drunk and wicked cartoons and striking posters.

In this lively presentation John shares his knowledge and lifelong enthusiasm for wine in general and the huge contribution that ‘wine art’ makes to our colourful world. We will examine some of the myths and rituals that have grown up around wine and perhaps debunk some of them!

John Ericson:  Formerly a Director of Studies in the School of Education at the University of Bath, offers presentations on an eclectic range of topics, derived from his diverse interests and enthusiasms.

From September until November 2021 lectures will remain online. Details of how to access the lecture will be sent to members beforehand.

Daughter of William Morris, she was one of the leading female contributors to the Arts and Crafts Movement.

Dr Lynn Hulse:  A needlework historian, co-founder of Ornamental Embroidery, a trustee of the Brangwyn Gift at the William Morris Gallery and a fellow of both the Society of Antiquaries of London and the Royal Historical Society.

From September until November 2021 lectures will remain online. Details of how to access the lecture will be sent to members beforehand.

Edward Seago was an immensely popular 20th-century oil painter and watercolourist, loved by artists but overlooked by critics.  His life story is full of interest.

James Russell:  Studied at Cambridge and inspired by a lengthy spell selling contemporary paintings and sculpture in New Mexico, began writing and lecturing on 20th-century art.

From January until June 2021 lectures will remain online. Details of how to access the lecture will be sent to members beforehand.

The formal ‘paradise gardens’ of Persia are noted for their tranquility and the respite they offer from the summer heat, combining architectural and arboreal shade with running water in a long tradition. Adopted by Arab traders and rulers, such garden designs became central to the planning of palaces, mosques and private houses across the Islamic world.

Recommended further study

Emma Clark, The Art of the Islamic Garden (2010)

A detailed and informative textbook of the design and making of paradise gardens in a northern European climate, by one of the leading designers of the modern chahar-bargh.

 Monty Don, Monty Don's Paradise Gardens – DVD (BBC 2018)

Entertaining and eye-opening introductions to paradise gardens across the world from the master of garden broadcasting.

Monty Don and Derry Moore, Paradise Gardens: the world's most beautiful Islamic gardens (2018)

The book of the BBC series.

 Ettinghausen, Grabar et al, Islamic Art and Architecture 650-1250 (2001)

A relatively brief but very useful look at a very wide-ranging subject, including elements of the Islamic garden amongst a discussion of carpets, buildings, calligraphy and ceramics.

 Mohammad Gharipour, Persian Gardens and Pavilions: reflections in History, Poetry and the Arts (2020)

Taking the concept of the four-fold garden from literature and the visual arts, this book describes why and how the early Persian paradise gardens look the way they do.

 Penelope Hobhouse, Gardens of Persia (2012)

A delightful stroll through a variety of gardens in Iran, focusing on private gardens but including the great chahar-barghs.

 Henri Stierlin, Persian Art and Architecture (2012)

A thorough study of the art and architecture of Iran from the earliest times to the present.

From January until June 2021 lectures will remain online.  Details of how to access the lecture will be sent to members beforehand.

Sir Edwin Henry Landseer was one of Queen Victoria’s favourite artists.  Known for his many paintings of dogs, stags and other animals.

Karin Fernald:  Specially designed this lecture for our society.  Entertaining lecturer on mid-18th Century to 19th Century artists, writers and diarists.

From January until June 2021 lectures will remain online. Details of how to access the lecture will be sent to members beforehand.

From January until June 2021 lectures will remain online.  Details of how to access the lecture will be sent to members beforehand.

Discover the wealth of Modern and Contemporary Public Art in the square mile of London.

Alexandra Epps:  Graphic Designer.  Official Guide and Lecturer at Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Guildhall, Pallant House Gallery, City of London Guide.  Offers walking tours.

From January until June 2021 lectures will remain online.  Details of how to access the lecture will be sent to members beforehand.

Pure still life often celebrates the sheer beauty of food especially the Dutch painters’ fascination with lobsters.

Alan Read:  Masters and First Class Honours degrees in History of Art at Birkbeck College, University of London.  Gallery guide at Tate Britain, Tate Modern, National Portrait Gallery, Dulwich Picture Gallery.

From January until June 2021 lectures will remain online.  Details of how to access the lecture will be sent to members beforehand.

21st February 2021 (NB: SUNDAY)

The creator of Art’s most haunting and iconic face.  Norway’s answer to Vincent Van Gogh.

Lydia Bauman:  Polish born artist and art historian. Educated at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne (BA in Fine Art) and Courtauld Institute of Art, London (MA in Art History).

For more information about Lydia's regular weekly online lectures visit Art for the Uninitiated  https://www.meetup.com/Art-for-the-Uninitiated/ 

Lectures are currently being given online.  Details of how to access the lecture will be sent to members beforehand.

This lecture will be available on Zoom in both the morning and the afternoon. As a result of copyright issues we are not able to stream this lecture on YouTube, therefore we have decided to hold it twice so that as many members as possible have a chance to hear it. The morning lecture will be at 11.00am and the afternoon lecture will be at 4.00pm.  Joining details will be sent to members at least two days in advance.

A progressive art school under the directorship of Walter Gropius.  Lasted 14 years with bases in Weimar, Dessau and Berlin.

Gavin Plumley:  Writer and Broadcaster on BBC Radio 3 and 4.  At The Royal Opera House, National Gallery, National Trust, British Museum, V&A and many other organisations.

To see more of the Dessau school watch this short film about the Bauhaus:

https://youtu.be/726zw6Sic70

This was part of a larger series of six films that Gavin made with the Philharmonia Orchestra for their Weimar Berlin series in 2019:

Weimar Berlin: Bittersweet Metropolis – https://youtu.be/W0MQ0DZCf5Y

The Sound of Change – https://youtu.be/Jm_Yiuv90pY

The City Electric – https://youtu.be/4bijkv7Aur0

Design and Detachment – https://youtu.be/726zw6Sic70

Weimar on Stage and Screen – https://youtu.be/oth8UnWzMvA

The Party’s Over – https://youtu.be/rgH9P8FJBGs

From September 2020 until March 2021 lectures will be given online.  Details of how to access the lecture will be sent to members beforehand.

This beautifully illustrated lecture discussed the history of carpets in the West, from the 16th century when they became synonymous with wealth and fashionable living, and were often included in the portraits of the day. It explored how patterns evolved and straddled boundaries of time and place. In the 19th century they were reappraised as examples of good design and seen as a source of inspiration for the creative industries. 

Jennifer Wearden:  Was the senior curator in textiles and expert on carpets at the V&A and now a research fellow. She has written numerous books on these subjects and lectures extensively.

From September 2020 until March 2021 lectures will be given online.  Details of how to access the lecture will be sent to members beforehand.

Music’s greatest Revolutionary.  Life and works of Ludwig Von Beethoven, a true Romantic Artist. The life and work of this brilliant, cantankerous, visionary and astonishingly original composer is presented through visual illustrations and musical examples.

Sandy Burnett:  Studied at Cambridge, Musical Director for the RSC, National Theatre and in London's West End, spent a decade as one of the core presenters on BBC Radio 3.

Plays the double bass in the London Jazz Scene.

From September 2020 until March 2021 lectures will be given online.  Details of how to access the lecture will be sent to members beforehand.

Should photography be considered Fine Art?

Argues that it can equal portraiture, landscape and Fine Art.

This question is at the heart of a lecture which argues that photography can equal, not to say exceed. more traditional disciplines in the key genres of portraiture. landscape and still life. Photography, moreover, has carved its own area of excellence in depicting the human condition. All these ideas are discussed with reference to the work of some of the acknowledged masters of photography including Henri Cartiefr-Bresson, Fay Godwin, Bill Brandt, Ansel Adams and Wolfgang Tillmans.

Photography
Brian Slater's chief interests lie in photography, architecture and history and he combines all three in his lecturing career. He has taught at University College London, since 1997 and became a NADFAS lecturer in 2003. 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. In an attempt to gain a deeper understanding of the skills of some great photographers of the past, he has begun to work with a pre-war Leica camera, as used by his great hero, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and many others.

CANCELLED

The creator of art’s most haunting and iconic face. A radical father of Expressionism. Norway’s answer to Vincent van Gogh. But who was the artist behind The Scream?

CANCELLED

Fine art provided advertisers with a great deal of material to use in their creative campaigns. Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael and Michelangelo have been particularly rich sources of inspiration.

CANCELLED

Younger daughter of William Morris and the pre-Raphaelite muse, Jane Burden, May Morris was one of the leading figures of the Arts and Crafts movement and a key exponent of art embroidery, which elevated needlework from a domestic craft to a serious art form. Lynn Hulse explores the life and work of this pioneering British craftswoman, scholar, socialist and feminist, whose achievements continue to inspire today.

English Painter and Sculptor best known for his paintings of animals, dogs, stags and horses. A favourite of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

A small bronze statue sat in Bertie Pearce's grandfather’s garden for 40 years. It is now in the Getty Museum having been identified as a piece sculptured by Adriaen de Vries (c.1556-1626), the most famous sculpture of his generation, including to The Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf 11th of Prague.

For only 5 years during the middle of the 18th century The Chelsea Porcelain Factory produced plates and other table wares painted with flamboyant and exotic plants. These plants were thought to be figments of the painter’s imagination. Now it has been established that they were sent from the American Colonies and the sugar producing islands of the Caribbean and grown at The Chelsea Physic Garden near the Chelsea Porcelain Factory. Many of these plants were illustrated by George Dionysius Ehret and these drawings were used as illustrations on Chelsea Porcelain in 1750’s.

Music and historic Russian Culture in advance of the festive season.
Yuletide in snowy Russia. Imagine being wrapped in furs, speeding along in a troika, bells ringing, as you come home from church after celebrating a 40 day Christmas fast. The lecture celebrates the folk customs in Russia before the revolution.

Four thousand years of the history of gold and its use in medicine.

Virtual tour of The Iconic Gothic Building known throughout the world.

In June 1520 Henry VIII and Francis I met to ratify an Anglo-French alliance and celebrate the
betrothal of Henry’s daughter Mary to the Dauphin. Each brings an entourage of 6,000 to a field
south of Calais.

The logistics of transporting, accommodating, ordering, feeding and watering, protecting and entertaining The English Contingent for this spectacular event is staggering. The supply chain,
often through the City of London Guilds is equally fascinating.

This lecture focuses on costume and dress accessories that would have been worn on formal
occasions ( Regulated Court Costume ) or informally, at the Informal Court or in Provincial
Government during the Qing Dynasty ( 1644—1911 )

This lecture is divided in two parts:

Looking at the changing skyline viewed from across the River Thames.The first giving a thumbnail sketch of how the city grew upwards from Roman times to the late 19th century.

The second part from the 60’s with the Natwest Tower. Followed by the Gherkin, the Shard, the Walkie -Talkie, the Cheese Grater and the development of the South Bank and periphery.

Art and design supported the Suffrage movement through diverse artistic media using paintings,
posters, cartoons, lapel badges, jewellery and wall-hangings. Artists such as Sylvia Pankhurst,
Mary Lowndes, Dora Meeson Coates and Caroline Watts were involved.

The 17th Century was a period of great wealth in The Netherlands, a time when it became
fashionable to collect precious objects from around the world. Display cabinets were
manufactured by craftsmen using the finest woods, gold, silver, tortoiseshell, ivory and precious stones. Containing small paintings, engraved glass and miniature cupboards. These were mostly seen as a male preserve.

Well-to -do ladies, wives of merchants, had their own display cabinets in the shape of dolls’
houses. They give us an insight to everyday life at that time as they were scale replicas made and decorated to the highest standard.

( Honeysuckle and Sweet Briar )
Textiles provided the Elizabethan Aristocratic Houses with colour, glamour, texture and symbolism
This talk looks at the designs, techniques and uses of these textiles and the Elizabethans’
fondness for decoding hidden messages and devices.

Based on the ideas of Impressionism
Gauguin pushed the style from Perception to Conception

Evelyn Eaton will explore the prediction made by Gauguin's teacher that he would 'either be a genius or a madman'. Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) pushed the style of impressionism from perception to conception, from appearance to experience and left the refinement of Western civilisation for the exoticism of the South Seas, where he evolved a non-naturalistic vision of the workd with a strong emphasis on colour. This illustrated lecture will provide an insight into his intriguing career.

The 18th Century Adam designed House saved for the nation by HRH The Prince Charles in 2007
10% of the world’s Chippendale Furniture is found in this heritage treasure.

Charlotte Rostek was recently appointed Head of the Glasgow branch of Scottish Auctioneers Lyon & Turnbull.  She retains strong links with Dumfries House in Ayrshire, the 18 th Century Adam designed stately home which was saved for the nation by HRH The Prince Charles in 2007. An inaugural curator there, Charlotte has played a key role in the renaissance of this heritage treasure, transforming it from a virtually unknown secret to a much visited building, vibrant Royal residence and leading model of heritage-led regeneration.

Britain has over 60,000 war memorials, each with their sad moving story to tell. They also
represent our largest collection of public art —1,300 are listed. As we reach the centenary of the
end of WW1 we will explore their history.

ANDREW DAVIES

Extra-Mural Tutor for London, Essex and The Open University; Author of 9 books, including The East End Nobody Knows; frequent contributor to radio and television; has lectured all over the world; organises walks to complement his lectures.

THE TWO GUSTAVS - MAHLER AND KLIMT

Gustav Klimt and his colleagues broke away from the imperially endorsed art institutions in Vienna in 1897 and founded the Vienna Secession.  In the same year, Gustav Mahler arrived in the city to take charge of the Opera House.  Comparing these two totemic fin de siecle talents, this lecture places Klimt and Mahler in context, asking what fundamentally links and, indeed, divides them.

A CELEBRATION OF 250 YEARS AT THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS

The Royal Academy has been famous for its annual Summer Exhibition since 1769.  This lecture covers the history of the institution and its famous academicians, which included Joshua Reynolds, JMW Turer, John Everett Millais and Dame Laura Knight, as well as the modern artists, Anthony Gormley, Tracey Emin and Grayson Perry.

TOWN MOUSE, COUNTRY MOUSE - ART AND NATURE IN THE LIFE AND WORKS OF BEATRIX POTTER

Inspired by summers in Scotland and the Lake District, Beatrix Potter became a passionate amateur naturalist, drawing, painting, dissecting and examining whatever flora and fauna she could smuggle back to her London home.  Her waterclour paintings of botanical and zoological subjects were extremely accomplished.  In 1897, one of her research papers were read at the Linnean Society but dismissed because she was a woman.  It was the creation of Peter Rabbit that gave her financial independence.

THE FASCINATING WORLD OF PLAYING CARDS

Surprisingly, today's playing cards date back to 1377 and decks from 1475 still survive.  The English deck is of French origin and the Company of Makers of Playing Cards was founded in 1628 to protect English makers from French imports.  Cards were used as a means of communication, propoganda and education.  In 1678, Titus Oates' plot was illustrated on a 52-card deck, which was published at that time and known as 'The Horrid Popish Plot'.

FRIULI - IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE

PATRIARCHS OF AQUILEIA

For centuries, the Patriarchy of Aquileia was one of the most powerful political and economical 'players' in Europe.  This lecture will tell the story of the now-forgotten patriarchy through the magnificent monuments of Friuli, the early Christian basilicas, magnificent mosaics, medieval chapels, frescoes and rococo palazzos.

ISLAM AND THE MOSQUE

The death of the Prophet Mohamed led to the adoption of one particlar place of worship for all Moslems:  the Mosque. This lecture begins with the life of the Prophet and the astonishing spread of Islam after his death.  The early Islamic monuments of Jerusalem and Damascus will be examined, together with the spread of Islam to North Africa and to Spain, which culminated in the building of the great Mosque of Cordoba.

SING WE YULE - A MUSICAL PORTRAIT OF A

MEDIEVAL CHRISTMAS

This lecture uses illustrations from illuminated manuscripts, readings from literature and contemporary accounts, and the haunting songs and lively dance tunes of medieval England, to convey the joy and celebration of some and the hardship and suffering of others at Christmas time.

OPUS ANGLICANUM - MASTERPIECES OF ENGLISH MEDIEVAL EMBROIDERY

From the 12th to the 15th centuries, England enjoyed an international reputation for the quality of its luxurious embroidery, frequently referred to as 'Opus Anglicanum' - English Work.  This embroidery contained complex imagery which was ambitious both in scale and intricacy and was sought after by kings, queens, popes and cardinals across Europe.  A blockbuster exhibition, held in the V&A between October 2016 and February 2017, brought examples of rare and luxurious embroideries from across Europe, some of which had not been seen in Britain since they were first produced.

KENT - THE GATEWAY AND GARDEN OF ENGLAND

At its nearest point, Kent is just 22 miles from France.  This, plus its long coastline and closeness to London has shaped the country's history, countryside, architecture, industry, agriculture and customs.  In war, it has been Britain's first line of defence; in peace, it has been a highway for monarchs, pilgrims, trade and ideas.  This lecture sets out how poets, authors and artists have recorded this in literature and in the decorative arts.

Inspired by a meeting with William Morris, these three architects/craftsmen studied with London-based architects, acquiring an interest in crafts and materials and becoming devotees of Philip Webb, the architect of Morris's The Red House, who promoted the use of local materials and techniques.  They all settled in the Cotswolds, setting up workshops and establishing a 'Cotswold Style'.  Gimson was the architect of Rodmarton Manor and the library of Bedales School, considered to be his masterpiece.  His beautifully crafted furniture undoubtedly inspired Viscount Linley, the English bespoke furniture designer.

Livery Companies originated when Medieval merchants banded together to form guilds and fraternities.  They were probably in existence before the Norman Conquest and are still influential bodies maintaining fine Livery Halls with art treasures and contents of historical value.  Supporting charitable causes and playing a large part in the field of education, a number of companies have extensive interests in schools and universities and many maintain almshouses.

David Hockney's paintings have shown a charm and humour that sets them apart from others of his generation since leaving the Royal College of Art in the 1960s.  A naturally gifted draughtsman, his love of ingenious visual devices has led him to experiment with a whole range of techniques, from stage design to coloured paper making.  From the early abstract expressionist images, through his famous Californian scenes of swimming pools to the photo montages of the mid eighties, this lecture will be an informative introduction to the forthcoming Tate Britain exhibition taking place next year to celebrate the artist's 80th birthday.

My lecture is called Colour & light:  Painting in Provence from Avignon School to early Modernism (an overview of notable painters and styles and their comparative importance in the history of Western art, from Simone Martini and Enguerrand Quarton to Cezanne, Van Gogh and Picasso).

A colourful lecture exploring the relationship between an extraordinary American painter and an equally remarkable place, the picturesque state of New Mexico.  Georgia O'Keeffe moved permanently there after WW2, fascinated by the mountains, desert, adobe churches and sun-bleached bones and above all the brilliant light and vast skies of the state they call 'The Land of Enchantment'.  This lecture follows on from Tate Modern's exhibition on this artist's work later this year.

The history of the sundial outstrips that of the clock by at least 2000 years.  This lecture examines how time has been told down the ages from the perspectives of both the sundial and its competitor, comparing what philosophers and poets thought about time as a market for religious observance, a vehicle for exquisite craftsmanship, a sign of elegance and civic pride and sophistication that can connect art, craft, history, astronomy and geometry in the education of our children.

American glass artist Dale Chihuly is the superstar of the glass world.  He creates glass sculptures that are extravagant, colourful and spectacular, often combining them into huge installations in historic cities, museums, gardens and hotels around the world including Venice and Jerusalem.  In 2005 his organic sculptures filled the greenhouses, lawns and lakes at Kew Gardens.  His glass magic has transformed the studio glass movement for ever.

Aged 13, Laura was one of the youngest students to enter Art School in Nottingham and became one of the first woman artists elected to the Royal Academy.  In 1907 she joined the artists' colony in Newlyn Cornwall, and after World War 1 returned to London where she met and painted famour ballet dancers of the time.

She was fascinated by the circus and Bertram Mills gave her special permission to paint his star performers during rehearsals and backstage.  During the Second World War she was an official war artist at the Nuremberg Trials, and she died in 1970 aged 92 after a long and fascinating life.

In 2016/17 we celebrate the 600th anniversary of the birth of this important early Renaissance Italian artist and this lecture gives us a perfect opportunity to visit the work of this enigmatic painter whose grave, solid figures set in a timeless landscape encapsulate the harmony of man and his world that was at the heart of Renaissance thought.  His paintings radiate a serenity and timelessness which takes us far beyond this anniversary.