In December 2024, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, often referred to as the Soul of the City, reopened to the public after a devastating fire had threatened to destroy it 5 years earlier.  A seemingly impossible target had been set by the French President to rebuild; yet huge sums of donated money and teams of expert restorers ensured the timescale was met. Such is the symbolic power of this cultural icon in the psyche of the French people and indeed people beyond.

 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of the quintessential English landscapist John Constable.

Enormously popular and endlessly reproduced, his paintings today are familiar – perhaps over-familiar.  But his modern reputation masks a radical, experimental artist who pushed the boundaries of art of his time just as much as his near-contemporary (and far more successful) rival Turner.  Tate Britain will be showing a major exhibition of their work from November 2025 until April 2026.  This lecture will examine Constable’s career and propose five reasons why he should be considered revolutionary and Britain’s greatest landscape painter.

    From the early Kosovan silver mines which are mentioned in Dante, through the twentieth century politics over Kosovo’s mines which resulted in both a war and a golf course, a silver thread winds through Kosovo’s history. Its most intricate tanglings are in the country’s cultural capital, Prizren, where a seventh generation of filigree artisans use ‘filum’ and ‘granum’, zigzags, ‘mouse-tooth’ designs and other twists and turns to magic lacy creations from dull sticks of raw material. The results – in boxes, buttons, jewellery, religious ornamentation and the talismans of superstition – are a fine narrative of Kosovo’s history and traditions.

Before he was a famous artist - or indeed an artist at all - Vincent Van Gogh was a disgruntled art salesman, a failed suitor, and a would-be teacher. We glimpse Vincent's life through his letters which illuminate his inner thoughts, passions and preoccupations. Focusing on a few short months from late 1875 to the middle of 1876 we find Vincent's life at a crossroads, having lost his job at the Paris branch of respected international art dealership Goupil & Cie. The main focus of the talk is how he found himself working in a small school in Ramsgate on the Kent coast. From the rich and poetic descriptions in his letters we discover more about this unique corner of England, and how it attracted architects like A. W. N. Pugin to live there, and artists, writers and royalty to stay there and record their impressions of the place where Van Gogh found happiness - albeit short-lived.

After the Impressionist group stopped exhibiting in 1886, two artists who had shown work with fellow Impressionists left Paris to pursue highly individual visions for making art. Paul Cézanne returned to his native Provence, to paint the landscapes, people and objects on his family estate in seclusion. Paul Gauguin by contrast was restless, looking for a place to develop his expressive and subjective paintings he travelled to the ends of the earth, to French Polynesia, in the naive quest to find a 'primitive' society that remained authentic and honest where he could inspiration and a principal subject. This lecture compares two of the most influential artists of the 19th century and illustrates how they prepared the ground for modern painting.

                   The Borghese Gallery houses what is arguably one of the greatest collections of art in the world. In the early 1600s Cardinal Scipio Borghese, the nephew of Pope Paul V, amassed an incredible collection of ancient sculptures and renaissance art, including works by Titian, Botticelli and Raphael. Scipio added to this by commissioning statues from Bernini and buying up works by Caravaggio, Domenichino and other contemporary artists of the day.  The collection also houses later artworks acquired over the centuries by the Borghese family, all in a magnificent building designed for Cardinal Scipio especially to house his collection. The Borghese Gallery is set in the Villa Borghese gardens, until a century ago the private gardens of the Borghese family, and today one of the most beautiful public parks in Rome.

Bridge the Thames as people have been doing since the Bronze Age - 1,500 years before the Romans built London Bridge. In the 1,700 year wait for the next bridge, other crossings relied on watermen and horse ferries, as traffic jammed on London Bridge. The last 200 years have seen over 50 new crossings over and under the river. Some are great feats of engineering, some are architecturally elegant. Every crossover changes the city’s genetic code. Even now a newly designed bridge awaits a start on site. This lecture explores the way we have connected up across the Thames and what that tells us about the culture of the capital through time.

Immerse yourself in a world of carnations, tulips, hyacinths and roses as you discover the history of the famous Turkish Iznik ceramics. From its origins imitating Chinese porcelain to its 16th-century heyday and subsequent decline.

Peter Medhurst traces the progress of the English Christmas carol through seven centuries of continuous development and explores the many fascinating stories that lie behind our popular seasonal songs. Carols discussed include: Angelus ad virginem, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, The First Nowell, I Saw Three Ships, While Shepherds Watched their Flocks by Night, Christians Awake, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Adeste fideles, In the Bleak Midwinter. 

From the wax seal to the microchip, man has exploited the skill of the artist and artisan in his attempt to manufacture a forgery-proof document. Taking you through three centuries of passport design, this lecture explains the overt and uncovers the covert to illustrate the defences built in to the passport and the tricks the forger uses to defeat them. You will never see your passport in the same light again!

Venice is known for Pizza, Pasta, Palaces and Popes, and also for VETRO VENEZIANO...Venetian Glass.  In the talk Murano Glass: The Jewel of Venice we explore how Murano became the epicentre of excellence for glassmaking across the world.    We begin by exploring the origin of Venice and the building of 189 canals built to create the floating city of Venice, before taking a short gondola ride to the tiny island of Murano.  Here we learn of the many enduring styles of Murano glass and delve into the lives of these ancient artisans.  

This lecture examines the extraordinary  life and dramatic times of Oscar Wilde from his Irish roots to his days as a student at Oxford and his meteoric rise to the heights of celebrity. We travel with him to the United States and examine his starring role within the artistic & theatrical worlds of late 19th century London. We visit his home in bohemian Chelsea and some of his favourite West End haunts. Finally, we learn how ‘tired of being in the heights, he plunged into the depths’ and became famous for being INfamous...

The 17th century in the Netherlands, referred to as the Dutch Golden Age, was the time of Rembrandt and Vermeer, of extra ordinary riches and incredible progress. There may be no other country in which in the brief span of a hundred years so many paintings were executed. You will be hard to find a museum in the world not housing at least one Dutch painting from the Golden Age!

This talk will use 6 paintings to introduce how the arts flourished in this tiny republic during this period. With the help of these 6 paintings we will talk about the Dutch, their cities, landscape, society, beliefs and artistic genres.

Join Mariska as she introduces the unequaled century of aesthetic production of 17th century Holland. Let’s enjoy these magnificent paintings together and get a deeper understanding of these down to earth, relatable, and ordinary scenes of daily life.

This journey through the Golden Age of Dutch Art will include:

Dutch portrait, landscape and genre paintings from private and public collections in the US and Europe

Historical, religious and socio-economic background of 17th century Holland

Explanation of the iconography and symbolism used

Taking four aspects of Elizabeth court culture, this lecture explores the richness of sixteenth-century royal and aristocratic life, bringing it alive through the poetry, plays, presents and portraits of the time. We will get to know the key figures who made up the court of Elizabeth I, their idea of fashion, what they did for entertainment and how they wished to be remembered. Shakespeare, Robert Dudley and the Queen herself are just some of the people we will meet in this colourful and memorable exploration of life five hundred years ago.

Cindy Polemis explores the eerie and sublime landscapes of Norwegian artist Nikolai Astrup, the haunting portraits of Finnish painter Helene Schjerfbeck, the trailblazing abstraction of Swedish painter Hilma af Klint, and fantastical landscapes of Lithuania’s M.K Ciurlionis.

This lecture explores the central mystery embodied by the inimitability of Stradivari's violins by following some of his instruments from his workshop to the present day.

Two hundred and fifty years after Antonio Stradivari’s death, his violins and cellos remain the most highly prized instruments in the world. Loved by great musicians and capable of fetching fabulous sums when sold, their tone and beauty are legendary. Every subsequent violin-maker has tried to match them. Not one has succeeded. How can that be? 

When we receive a letter or a Christmas card from someone we know, we often recognise the handwriting straight away, and know who it’s from without even opening the envelope. Recognising the hand of an artist can be like that – an instant certainty that the painting must be by Rubens, or El Greco, or Rembrandt. Yet if you try to explain to someone else how you know that your letter is from that person, or what it is in their handwriting that is so distinctive, you would probably struggle to put it into words. 
This lecture takes examples of a wide range of artists from the 15th, 16th 17th and 18th centuries, and will put into words what it is that tells us a picture is by Rubens rather than Rembrandt, or even, by Rubens rather than by, say, Van Dyck, who was taught by him and painted so very much like him. My lecture uses photos of small details of paintings greatly enlarged, to demonstrate some of the distinctive quirks and give-away characteristics of artists from Mantegna and Bellini to Canaletto and Gainsborough. I’ll share with you tips and tricks of art-gazing, and show you how to have the enormous satisfaction of looking at an unfamiliar painting and realising that you can instantly recognise the artist.        

During the First and Second World Wars, artists became involved in designing camouflage, using new ideas about optics and perception to mislead, misdirect and deceive the enemy. In this talk we’ll consider the background to the development of camouflage and explore the ways in which artists such as Hugh Casson, Oliver Messel and Julian Trevelyan helped the war effort. From ‘dazzle camouflage’ for ships, to complex illusions that hid power stations and military installations from aircraft, this is a story of secrecy, deception and artistic derring-do, all in pursuit of the great goal – victory in war

This lecture looks at the evolution of the Hollywood musical from the beginnings of the sound revolution in 1929 through its glory years in the golden age of Hollywood to its near disappearance at the end of the studio era and its occasional revival in recent years through The Producers and Chicago. There will be excerpts from 42nd Street, Golddiggers of 1933, Swing Time with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney in Babes on Broadway and Gene Kelly in An American in Paris and Singin’ in the Rain. In so doing, the lecture reveals the emergence of a genuine American art form and looks at how the Hollywood musical evolved from the Broadway musical comedy to create something specifically American and cinematic

The county of Kent has been irresistibly attractive to artists from the earliest times. Depictions of Kent have been at the forefront of new artistic movements though the centuries and have been pivotal to the development of English art. This talk takes a pictorial journey through paintings of the county to uncover what attracted painters to Kent and how they chose to depict its places.        

From Robert Burns’s mouse to Shelley’s skylark; from Wordsworth’s butterfly to Keats’s nightingale; throughout the Romantic period, animals often inspired great writing. This lecture focuses on the creatures that have been loved, lost and immortalised by some of our greatest writers. We begin in the 18th century, with Gilbert White recording in minute detail the behaviour of his pet tortoise, Timothy.  We then turn to the Romantics - including Byron, who wrote more movingly about his love for a dog than he did for any woman.  We end by taking a look at some Victorian writers’ pets, and discover how these animals inspired their owners – and other authors. 

Along the way, we explore why writing about animals increases during the Romantic and Victorian periods, and what this tells us about changing attitudes towards them during this time. 

Darling’s daring rescue of steamship passengers off the Northumberland coast in 1838 brought her international fame. Discover more about her bravery and short life (died aged 26) and the artistic contribution that 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. This talk coincides with the commemorations to mark the 200th anniversary of the founding of the RNLI in 2024. 

Western European painting is not lacking in celebrated women artists; from Marcia in antiquity to Eva Gonzalès in the nineteenth century, from Sofonisba Anguissola in the Renaissance to Michaelina Wautier in the seventeenth century, artists who managed to break the norm of western European society by making a name and a living for themselves in a world of men. Yet, despite achieving fame and recognition in their own time and being celebrated for their talent and skill, they were subsequently erased from the mainstream narrative of art history. This lecture will reintroduce these artists, asking why and how their own paintings and self-portraits were already - in their own time - engaged with this fundamental problem of recognition.

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 an extensive collection of portraits and photographs of Indian Maharanis. These images, and the costumes worn by the women they depict, are stunning works of art in their own right. They are also some of the earliest images of Indian women that portray them as powerful, dignified and educated figures. This lecture brings these beautiful portraits to life with insights into the lives and memoirs of the Maharanis themselves, along with a broader view of the role they played in the British Empire.

Sailing boats have always occupied a pivitol place in Western Art. From medieval manuscripts, through Old Masters depicting exploration and military might to modern objects of every-day life they pervade the British imagination of youny and old alike. This lecture will display painting as well as many other forms of art which celebrate our island race's facination with our Maritime history. Magdalen will show slides of stained glass, ceramics, tapestries, antiquarian book covers, advertising posters, weather-vanes, chandeliers, pub signs and even topiary all inspired by the English sailing boat.

The lecture covers the turbulent life of Tutankhamun, his relationship with the Ancient Egyptian Gods and Goddesses and the abrupt ending to his short reign. Over 3000 years later the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb made him the most famous pharaoh in Ancient Egyptian history. Hear about the tomb robbers in the Valley of the Kings, the apparent 'curse' and see work of art from his tomb on display in Egypt today. 

Over the past 40 years street art has evolved from its roots in American graffiti to become a global art movement. For the past 10 years Roger has been photographing street art in London and beyond. This talk focuses on a number of different styles of street art as well as some leading artists, not just from the UK but from countries such as Australia where this art form has been taken to new heights. Expect some great images of brilliant art on some unexpected surfaces as we explore the beauty of this very modern art form.

 Suzanne will present an exploration of the history and practices of divination and prophecy from around the world. From augury to astrology and necromancy to numerology via magicians, oracles, priests and prophets, people have long sought to know their future and to answer their own life dilemmas.

Sometimes called Britain’s greatest ‘Art Form’, Pantomime has been a popular form of entertainment for over 300 years. In the early 18th century the word was used to describe the performances at Drury Lane Theatre based on the Italian Commedia dell’arte. In the 18th century it was often seen as an opportunity for political satire but it is through the 19th century the fairy-tale story plots were established and the extrovert Music Hall entertainers created the traditions that we know as the Christmas pantomime today.

This lecture traces the majestic themes of architecture in England through 1,000 years of change and innovation. Our 10 Great Buildings begin in 1076, with the White Tower, at the Tower of London, and end with Norman Foster’s Great Court at the British Museum, which opened in 2000. In between are a superb medieval cathedral, some magnificent country houses, plus a triumph of Victorian enterprise and a reinvention of an industrial masterpiece. The theme of the talk is not simply to describe these buildings, but to ask of each of them: “What did they mean then…and what do they mean now?”

Blue and white tin-glazed earthenware has long been admired and collected for its attractive appearance, but this lecture goes further by examining English delftware with a pharmaceutical purpose. Drawing on examples from collections at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Surgeons of England, this talk will provide a beginner's guide to these beautiful yet practical vessels. By placing them in their wider historical context, Briony will also demonstrate that delftware drug jars have an undervalued role to play in understanding medical practices in the 17th and 18th centuries. 

Plants too are silent witnesses to crimes. Their presence in many crime scenes can help an investigator identify a suspect or locate a victim. Apparently mundane plants such as brambles and nettles can provide valuable insights into when a crime was committed. Fragments of leaves and seeds embedded in soil on the footwear of a suspect can place them at the scene. An understanding of landscape history and land-use helps an investigator discriminate between a clandestine burial and a mediaeval feature in a woodland. Forensic botany is not new science, plants have played a role in solving major cases for decades, including the infamous murder of aviator Charles Lindbergh’s infant son.

This lecture explores the way in which artists over the centuries have included transparent glass objects in their paintings, taking huge delight in capturing the shadows and reflections seen within the glass as well as displaying their skill in portraying what lies behind and beyond. It will include the remarkable depiction of glass objects in Roman wall-paintings, works by artists such as Titian, Veronese and Caravaggio - where both the Gods of Olympus and the disciples are seen drinking out of fragile Venetian cristallo - and the proliferation of glass drinking vessels in Dutch still-life paintings.

The remarkable untold story of Carry On actor Peter Butterworth, and his wife, Britain’s first female tv impressionist Janet Brown, best known for her impression of Mrs Thatcher.  

Using classic film and tv clips, personal mementos, and rare photographs and letters from his family’s unseen collection, Tyler reveals the private story behind his parents’ public lives. 

It’s a journey that takes in MI9, the building of a theatre in the notorious WW2 Prisoner of War camp Stalag Luft III, nights at Chequers with a Prime Minister, This Is Your Life, and many more moments in their long, shared life in the theatre. 

Delacroix wrote to his brother: “if I have not fought for the country, at least I will paint for her.” This lecture explores one painting, Liberty Leading the People, placing it at the heart of French Romanticism and looks at its powerful role in the aftermath of the July Revolution and its mixed critical reception. It also covers the historical background and the influences that led to the creation of Liberty and her compatriots on the barricades and asks why this icon of French revolutionary fervour continues to exert its fascination today.

The 1700s was a period when the people of England seemed to be especially gullible. They believed a woman could give birth to rabbits; a man could climb inside a two pint bottle and sing inside it; and where a blond-haired European could write a book claiming that he was born in Taiwan. These hoaxes weren't just written about extensively in newspapers and journals but also brilliantly and amusingly depicted by satirical artists such as William Hogarth and James Gillray. In this entertaining talk Ian demonstrates how 18th century hoaxes are memorable not only for their imaginative nature but also because of the differing motives of the tricksters.

Investigating the process of creating, through the collaboration between A A Milne and E H Shepard, the iconic images for one of the leading worldwide children's all time favourite books. This was the first time that the author and illiustrator worked together feeding off each other's creative input and reaction to words and pictures - with never previously published drafts and drawings of Winnie-the-Pooh and friends in the Hundred Acre Wood.

The lecture will examine how the peculiar geniuses of these two very different men, W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, came together under the guiding hand of the impresario, Richard D’Oyly Carte, to create one of the most individual and enduring forms of theatrical entertainment.

The Savoy operas, with their gentle satire, celebrate the quirks and foibles of the British nation, and are as alive today as in the 1880s. The lecture is fully illustrated with musical examples.

The Camden Town Group was an innovative circle of painters unid visions of European Post- Impressionism with the changing modernity ofted by the desire to paint works of a modern character. They combined the techniques an Edwardian London.

This lecture introduces the core members of the group, led by Walter Richard Sickert, and tells the story of their brief but significant association. We will examine the key themes addressed within their work: urban life, popular entertainment and the lower social classes, as well as Sickert’s infamous series of paintings inspired by the notorious Camden Town murder.

Following a colourful timeline (which every audience member receives) John takes you on a complete journey through European architectural development. The story begins in ancient Greece and subsequently develops through the Roman and Byzantine periods. Medieval Europe then goes through Romanesque and Gothic styles before the Renaissance revives classicism. But as industrialism takes hold medieval styles get revived again - John identifies some of the principal influencers.

Punctuality being the politeness of princes, this lecture examines the reality of manners and etiquette in later the Medieval period. A far cry from the popular image of appalling table manners, Medieval dining was a minefield of do’s and don’ts, many of which were recorded in courtesy books (Teach Yourself How To Be A Gentleman texts).

A rich vein of artistic evidence also survives, bearing out what is written. The lecture deals with the structure of formal banquets and the food eaten as well as how young gentlemen were trained and more everyday advice to women about how to conduct themselves.

Dorothea Lange’s 1936 photograph Migrant Mother has an enduring and iconic quality. Not only does it brilliantly capture a historical event - the Great Depression - it also encapsulates timeless themes: motherhood, misfortune, resilience, uncertainty. For years it was hailed as an iconic image, and a masterpiece of documentary photography. But forty years after it was taken the woman in the photograph spoke out angrily against it. She received no money or notoriety from the image, and felt exploited by the experience of having her trauma transfigured into art.

This lecture will explore the ethical problems that occur when photographers select real human tragedy as their subject. Do photojournalists help during catastrophes, or are they just exploiting the misery of others? 

The history of wallpaper dates back to the 16 th  century and encompasses a huge range of beautiful patterns created both by anonymous hands and by some of the best-known designers of the 19th and 20th centuries.

This lecture explores the history and development of this product from earliest times up to the present day. It includes a discussion of the changing ways in which wallpaper was made and a survey of designs from the first black and white patterns, the creation of elegant flock hangings, the fashion for Chinese hand-ainted papers, the introduction of machine-printing, the designs of Morris and the Arts and Crafts Movement, and the taste for Modernist and Contemporary designs in the 20th  century.

How this popular magazine evolved, adapted to changing tastes. Best remembered today for its 40-year association with Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes, the STRAND was a pioneer among illustrated monthly magazines, and rapidly spawned many imitators.

 Major contributors included Agatha Christie, Winston Churchill (political sketches during his ‘wilderness years’, paintings after World War Two), and P G Wodehouse. From the early brilliance of writers such as Grant Allen and E W Hornung, through the enchanting tales of children’s favourite E Nesbit, the robust melodramas of Sapper and his heroes Bulldog Drummond and Ronald Standish, to the weightier work of H G Wells and even Joseph Conrad, the Strand left a remarkable legacy which repays detailed investigation.

Alice provides a contemporary painter’s perspective on famous artworks from the 17th to the 21st centuries- revealing Rembrandt and Turner as artistic risk-takers, whose new combinations of glazes, stains, pigments and processes re-defined the language of painting.

These forefathers of experimentation lead the way for modern artists such as Pollock and Fontana, who went beyond the canvas, and even beyond the brush in search of the meaning of making. Explore the mess and methodology of the creative process: from broken brushes to smudged thumbmarks, raw pigment to secret sketchbooks, and torn canvases to immersive light installations, this lecture uncovers a new way of seeing painting.

In 'The Art Of The Cartoonist' 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, learn where to put eyebrows for maximum effect and discover exactly what the eskimo brothers said in The Funniest Joke Ever (possibly).

The Bank of England sets the leading interest rate for the UK and also regulates the UK’s financial services industry – its actions affect everyone in the country. It has also accumulated, since its foundation in 1694, an impressive range of artworks. Some are easily visible on the outside of the Bank’s City of London building in Threadneedle Street, whilst others are on display inside the building. During his lecture, Tim Kidd will show pictures of the artworks and explain their background. You can expect to hear about architecture, statues, mosaics and, of course, the intricate designs on the banknotes. There will be no free samples!

I’ll be shining a light on the Victorian plumage trade’s shadowy back-story. Whose fingers put together those voluptuous hats? Who dyed the feathers? Who profited from the sales? How did this arcane commodity chain work? Digging deep in the archives, we’ll hear some revealing human stories – from the brisk black market trade in stolen ostrich feathers, to the celebrity lifestyle of a notorious plumage hunter, to the Edwardian It Girl’s go-to milliner. 

Lt Col Jones provides a personal account of the behind the scenes preparation and build up to the National Day of Remembrance held at the Cenotaph at Whitehall in November each year in the presence of the Her Majesty the Queen and Royal Family, Heads of State on behalf of the Royal British Legion and the Nation. Timing and precision are everything; find out how the music for this event is prepared ahead of the big day in this fascinating behind the scenes presentation.

Fresco is the supreme medium in which one can track the ideas and the accomplishments of the Italian Renaissance, from Giotto’s work in the Arena Chapel to Michelangelo’s painting for Popes in the Sistine Chapel. For secular leaders, wall painting cycles created the opportunity to create a virtual world which enhanced their status, in the church they brought a new immediacy and impact to the presence and meaning of the divine story, but what was their appeal for the artist? Why did they consider it "the sweetest and most subtle form that exists."? Why was this particular form so perfectly suited to the aspirations of the age? This lecture illustrates the complex technique involved and explores some of the great projects of the age to understand the fascination and significance of fresco for rulers, clergy and painters. 

The late Christopher Hitchens, who knew a thing or two about feuds, once wrote that a really first rate bust up requires one of at least two things: a clash of strong personalities, and a conflict of principles. The history of art is peppered with first rate bust ups: between the great early Renaissance artists, Brunelleschi and Ghiberti, between Constable and Turner in the early 1830s, between Salvador Dali and the Surrealist leader, Andre Breton in the 1930s and, most recently, between the graffiti artists Banksy and ‘King’ Robbo, who painted out and amended each other’s works. There are many more. They are highly entertaining but they also tell us a great deal about key issues in art history.

When Diaghilev created ballet in the west in the early 20th century, he brought extraordinary revolutionary energy from Russia. By bringing together talented artists of different disciplines; chore-ographers, dancers, musicians, designers and painters; Fokine, Nijinsky, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Picasso and Coco Chanel to name but a few, Diaghilev fused the latest in art, music and dance in spectacles that dazzled and astonished audiences around the world. The dream Diaghilev created of dance joining hands with the other creative disciplines to create a total work of art changed the course of ballet forever. Using stills and video clips we take an exciting look at the Ballets Russes that dominated the ballet stages of the world from its explosion in Paris in 1909 until Diaghilev’s death in 1929.

In February 1947 Christian Dior emerged from the shadows of World War 2 to present his inaugural collection of haute couture in Paris. It was immediately acclaimed as ‘The New Look’ and caused a sensation which immediately resounded through Paris, London and New York. Dior was propelled into the spotlight of fashion and his subsequent collections and exquisite designs would go on to define a decade. After his death in 1957 Dior was succeeded by his pupil, the young Yves Saint Laurent.

Wine has been part of our global society for over 7,000 years, and the story tells of its origin and appearance in all societies across the Mediterranean and through Europe. There is rich evidence of the role wine has played in these societies and how it became an important component of faith, well-being and festivity. From the kwevris of Georgia in 5,000 B.C., the symposia in ancient Greece, the thermopolia of Pompeii, the hospices of Europe, to the dining tables of fine society wine has been ever present.

Drawings, paintings, engravings, buildings, pottery and wine labels themselves all contribute to the story.

A whistle-stop tour of the history of food as artistic medium, starting with 16th century sugar sculpture and venturing all the way up to 3D dessert printing and beyond.

Topics covered include the origins of dessert, the crossover between sugar and art, architecture and dessert; sugar and spectacle; food as artistic medium and the future of food.

Explore Asia’s holistic approach to medicine which advocates a balanced relationship between body, mind and spirit. If there is disharmony in any aspect of life, then there is disease. Discover more about these Eastern methods of healing through a rich diversity of artistic treasures including exquisite Indian miniatures, rare Chinese acupuncture charts, Tibetan thangkas and Japanese woodblock prints. Diet, exercise, astrology and spiritual practice are also crucial for health and wellbeing and these will be mentioned together with diagnosis and treatment.

The mass migration of the French Protestant Huguenots in the 16th and 17th centuries impacted the arts, the military and finance sectors of the countries to which they fled after suffering Catholic persecution in their homeland. It is estimated that upwards of 50,000 people settled in the British Isles, and that perhaps one in six of the country’s current population descends from Huguenot lineage. This lecture focuses on three areas of the arts impacted by the migration: the baroque style of Versailles that arrived in London through the great Huguenot designer, Daniel Marot, who worked for William and Mary at Hampton Court; the growth of the silk weaving industry in Canterbury, Spitalfields and later Sudbury and Macclesfield; and on the silversmiths and ceramicists who ushered the French Rococo style into Britain. This is put into the context of how their work changed material culture and was absorbed into British national identity. 

To mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig van Beethoven, born in December 1770, Sandy guides us through the life and work of this brilliant, cantankerous, visionary and astonishingly original composer, a man who tore up the rule book of classical music.

Visual illustrations include a selection of contemporary portraits, while musical examples are drawn from his genre-busting piano sonatas, quartets and symphonies, and from the revolutionary opera Fidelio. We are talking about much more than a musician here – Beethoven was a true Romantic artist, or as he preferred to describe himself, a “poet in sound”.

Raphael is often referred to as one of the three giants of the High Renaissance in Italy, alongside Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, yet his fame and position in the canon of art history may seem hard to explain.

He made no discoveries like those of his celebrated rivals: although undoubtedly a draughtsman of exceptional talent he made no great progress in the fields of anatomy, science and construction. His career was short-lived as he died tragically young, aged 37. Yet in this relatively short space of time Raphael managed to move from humble initial commissions in and around his home town of Urbino to the covetous position of one of the leading artists at the court of the most important patron in Italy, Pope Julius II, for whom he created some of the most sublime and influential frescoes of the early 16th century.

We explore how Raphael achieved this extraordinary rise in status, tracing the development of early works and influences to the masterpieces created in Rome.

Gibbons (1648-1721) came to England from the Netherlands, and developed a virtuoso style of carving, well suited to the Baroque interiors of late 17th century England. His limewood carvings with their festoons of fruit, flowers, fish and game embellished Windsor Castle, Hampton Court, and Kensington Palace, as well as country houses such as Petworth and Belton.

His work was commissioned for public buildings and churches, and he also worked in marble, making church monuments. Two superb wood carvings are in the Victoria & Albert Museum: his Lace Cravat and the relief panel of The Stoning of Stephen.

This lecture will now be streamed on Zoom. 

Frederic Leighton’s studio-house (now Leighton House Museum) is one of the most remarkable buildings of the nineteenth-century. First built in the 1860s, Leighton continued to extend and embellish his home over the next thirty years, transforming what had been a relatively modest house into a palace of art filled with fascinating collections of fine and decorative art. 

The construction of the exotic Arab Hall, lined with Islamic tiles collected as Leighton travelled through the Middle East, brought new fame to the house as Leighton’s reputation continued to grow. This lecture explores Leighton’s motivations in lavishing such attention on the construction of his home and how it came to embody the idea of how a Great Artist should live.

In June 1520 Henry VIII and Francis I of France met outside Calais to ratify an Anglo-French alliance. The logistics for this 18-day event are staggering. Royal palaces were virtually emptied of their silver, gold, tapestries and furniture to decorate Henry’s temporary ‘palace’ and other principal tents in France. 3,217 horses were shipped across the Narrow Sea. How was it all achieved?

Sadly cancelled - Explore Asia’s holistic approach to medicine which advocates a balanced relationship between body, mind and spirit. If there is disharmony in any aspect of life, then there is disease. Discover more about these Eastern methods of healing through a rich diversity of artistic treasures including exquisite Indian miniatures, rare Chinese acupuncture charts, Tibetan thangkas and Japanese woodblock prints. Diet, exercise, astrology and spiritual practice are also crucial for health and wellbeing and these will be mentioned together with diagnosis and treatment.

CANCELLED In February 1947 Christian Dior emerged from the shadows of World War 2 to present his inaugural collection of haute couture in Paris. It was immediately acclaimed as ‘The New Look’ and caused a sensation which instantly resounded through Paris, London and New York. Dior was propelled into the spotlight of fashion and his subsequent collections and exquisite designs would go on to define a decade. After his death in 1957 Dior was succeeded by his pupil, the young Yves Saint Laurent.

CANCELLED Wine has been part of our global
society for over 7,000 years, and the story tells of its origin and appearance in all societies across the Mediterranean and through Europe. There is rich evidence of the role wine has played in these societies and how it became an important component of faith, well-being and festivity. From the kwevris of Georgia in 5,000 B.C., the symposia in ancient Greece, the thermopolia of Pompeii, the hospices of Europe, to the dining tables of fine society wine has been ever present. Drawings, paintings, engravings, buildings, pottery and wine labels themselves all contribute to the story.

CANCELLED A whistle-stop tour of the history of food as artistic medium, starting with 16th century sugar sculpture and venturing all the way up to 3D dessert printing and beyond.

Topics covered include the origins of dessert, the crossover between sugar and art, architecture and dessert; sugar and spectacle; food as artistic medium and the future of food.

A cultivated garden or plot of agricultural land symbolises the control that the human race has learned to exercise over its surroundings. Looking at imagery from diverse centuries and societies, we explore how portrayals of gardens, flora, and agriculture in art, have given us insight into our relationship with the natural world, and helped us to define what it means to be human. We look at a variety of different approaches to the subject, such as the shocking symbolism in Hieronymus Bosch’s ‘Garden of Earthly Delights’, the political imagery in Millet’s ‘The Gleaners’, and the beautiful textile designs of William Morris.

This richly illustrated lecture traces the history of stained glass in churches from Anglo-Saxon England until the present day. It explains evolving styles and techniques and discusses why some of Europe’s greatest painters created these masterpieces of colour and storytelling. It explores how medieval people responded to these images, the lives of the artists who made them, and the relationships between stained glass windows and other works of art. Foreign glass imported into Britain, Victorian windows and the oeuvre of modern artists is also considered. Every lecture is individually tailored to the host Society and includes local examples of important stained glass worth seeing. 

Dame Zaha Hadid died on March 31 st 2016 at age of 65. Architectural historians of the future will surely recognise her as one of the most important architects of the early 21st century. She was born in Iraq and her reputation was global, but she made Britain her home. This lecture tells the story of her career from the visionary projects of the 1980s, through the years of frustration when her designs were considered unbuildable, to the prolific crop of successful projects built all over the world in the last decade of her life.

John Ruskin loved Venice, the Alps and the Lakes. He made daily studies of the dawn and watched, horrified, as Victorian industrialisation polluted the clouds and rivers captured by his ideal 'Modern Painter', J M W Turner. In 2019, I will be celebrating Ruskin's 200th birthday as Research Curator for a major exhibition in York and Kendal. This lecture will open your eyes to the beauty of Ruskin's words and watercolours, and share his delight in the extraordinary visions created by Turner. 

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. Looking back at ancient mythology, they imagined a new future by means of art, architecture, literature and music. From Romanticism to cubism, the Czechs re-conceived various artistic movements in specifically patriotic ways. Looking at painter and decorative artist Alfons Mucha, artist Karel Svoboda and composers Bedřich Smetana and Antonín Dvořák, this talk shows how the Czechs created a capital that was fit for a new independent nation.

A light-hearted look at seaside entertainment over the years, from Bathing Machines to End of the Pier Shows and “What the Butler Saw” machines. The British seaside began with the fashion for sea bathing in the 18th century, but expanded enormously in the 19th century with the arrival of the railways and the era of mass travel. We look at the specialist buildings which proliferated at the seaside in the 19th century, such as piers, towers and aquaria, that provided entertainment for the masses – not to mention that famous breed, the seaside landlady!

Wool, cotton and silk have each played a crucial role in the fortunes of Central Asia. Wool created the clothing and housing needed by the great nomadic cultures to dominate Middle Asia. Silk was more valuable than gold and used as currency, creating a network of trading routes that led to the first outbreak of globalisation. Cotton was the cause of Russian and then Soviet  Colonisation and continues to cause controversy today. The felts, carpets, embroideries, robes and veils of the Silk Road stratified wealth, displayed religious and political entrenchments and changed the fortunes of this fascinating part of the world; a meeting place between Mohammed and Marx.

The Eagle was the creation of a vicar and an art student - this is the unbelievable back story of how they did it. You don't have to be a sci-fi fan to appreciate how Frank Hampson set up the most extraordinary studio in 1950 to produce Dan Dare and in detail see what extreme lengths he went to creating award winning artwork. Why did the Ministry of Defence order 6 copies a week? How did Dan Dare get there first with many space inventions that we now take for granted. Eagle influenced millions of boys (and girls!) and inspired many future leaders and artists. This is an incredible and nostalgic story of the future and includes vintage film of the studio at work and a pilot TV programme.

Thomas Heatherwick’s work received world-wide coverage in 2012 when he designed the Olympic Cauldron for the London Olympics.  He also designed the new red London bus, the first re-design of such an iconic symbol of London for 50 years. Sir Terence Conran spotted his talent early on and has described Heatherwick as “the Leonardo da Vinci of our times”.  

Brought up as a house pet from a young age by a Director of the Dutch East India Company, Clara, a Rhino, was shipped to Holland and spent nearly 20 years touring Europe in the 18th century.  She visited all the major Courts and was recorded in paintings, prints, porcelain, bronze, clocks and even hair styles.

Portrait of Clara in Paris in 1749, by Jean-Baptiste Oudry

The celebration of the period following Christmas can be traced back several millennia, and to at least two cultures – neither of them Christian. One is the southern Roman feast of Kalends and the other, the northern Nordic festivals of Yuletide surrounding the celebrations of the Winter Solstice. This musical lecture explores the wealth of Christmas music, traditions and curious legends that surround our own celebration of Christ’s birthday.  

Art UK was set up to catalogue every oil painting in public ownership in the UK by visiting 3,000 collections and photographing over 212,000 paintings. The lecture offers an insider’s view of the project and describes some unusual collections visited, intriguing paintings uncovered, detective work involved and assistance given by TAS members. 

In 2018 the Royal Academy celebrates 250 years since its foundation.  This lecture looks at some of the artists involved at the very beginning, from the first President, Sir Joshua Reynolds to Tracey Emin and Cornelia Parker.  Along the way we look at some of the colourful characters from staunch supporters to artistic rebels and some of the controversies the RA has been involved in.  

One of the most derided towns in England, renowned for its dullness; Basingstoke is distinguished only by its numerous roundabouts and absurd Modernist architecture. Why did the post-war planners inflict such features as ‘The Great Wall of Basingstoke’ on the town?  There is a nobler Basingstoke that is buried beneath the concrete, as well as some historic gems that have survived the holocaust. Hilarity is guaranteed!

Warwick Castle remains one of Britain’s best preserved and most popular medieval castles. The imposing stone walls and towers were raised by the powerful Earls of Warwick, who took a leading role in the most important events of Medieval England. From 1604, the castle was transformed from a fortification into a luxurious stately home with arguably one of Britain’s most undiscovered collections of Old Master Paintings, Furniture, Arms and Armour and objet d’art. 

To mark the 50th anniversary of NADFAS, this lecture takes a light-hearted look at the astonishing developments in British sculpture over the same half-century. It describes how the supremacy of Henry Moore was eclipsed by the ‘New Generation’ sculptors over the last 50 years.  It also considers the key role played by art schools, galleries, dealers and collectors in promoting British sculpture.  

Hearing of the declaration of the First World War, Augustus John turned to Bomberg and said, “David, this news of the outbreak of war is going to be very bad for art”.  This lecture considers the truth of that prophesy among three British artists who had first-hand experience of the Great War and whose work was profoundly affected by it.  

MacDonald 'Max' Gill, younger brother of the sculptor Eric Gill, was known for his pictorial map posters for the London Underground and painted map panels as well as the arts and crafts cottages he designed in rural Sussex and Dorset. The alphabet he created for the standard military headstone is familiar to all.  This illustrated talk by Max Gill's great niece gives fascinating insights into the life and work of this remarkable but little-known artist.

AGM   10:30am

6000 years ago the first decorated pots were made in Britain: hand formed and fired in bonfires.  In cooking vessels and urns, over the next 4000 years, our ancient ancestors produced pots of great beauty and power, capable of inspiring potters today.

Spanish Still Life painting can give insights into the world and society in which artists lived, to such detail as a fly on a grape or a fish bone strewn across the table.

The decoding of old paintings helped to penetrate hidden worlds inside the Renaissance, finding wonder and drama in ordinary lives, most especially those of women, and exploring the complexities of politics and religion along with emotion, the senses, and the heady appetites of body and soul.

In 2015 the Musee d’Orsay in Paris mounted a fascinating exhibition entitled ‘Splendours and Miseries’ with many brilliant artists featuring ‘ladies of the night’. At the same time Tate Britain displayed paintings on the theme of ‘Alcohol and Art’ . Be prepared to be entertained as John Iddon links the two subject as depicted in the work of great artists such as Hogarth, Rowlandson, Cruikshank, Degas, Lautrec and Picasso.

Now the home of English National Opera everything about the London Coliseum is enormous – the stage, the auditorium, the number of its ghosts . . . . . and the size of its problems.

MISS SARAH LENTON

Sarah Lenton has spent her working life in the theatre, principally at the Royal Opera House, Glyndebourne and English National Opera. She writes programme articles and websites, she gives lectures on the operas and ballets in the rep. and does live opera broadcasts and podcasts for BBC Radios 3 and 4. She has written and directed many shows, including more than 20 for the Royal Opera House Linbury Studio Theatre and for Glyndebourne Touring Opera. She is also a cartoonist.

Bill, a likeable rogue, turned his back on a career as a prolific handler of stolen antiques to become a chef. But what was really on his menu………………??

Over the centuries, Covent Garden has embodied all that is most characteristic of British cultural and artistic life: a state of grace which, as Bernard Shaw’s Eliza Doolittle might have put it, must at times have seemed “not bloody likely!”

Why were foreign painters preferred by the aristocracy in London to native-born English painters? Why did foreigners come in the first place? What was their motivation? What was the impact of foreigners in London on English art?

To celebrate Hockney’s 80th birthday Tate Britain is holding a major retrospective and the Society has organised a trip to view it on the 4th May.

Click here for details.

AGM 10:30