An amusing and informative look at the clothes, underclothes, shoes and accessories which would have been worn by some of the more colourful characters in the Palace’s 300 year history – as well as a look at the House of Dior’s continuing special relationship with Blenheim. The part that arsenic, lead, mercury and mousetraps played in the trends of the day is considered and how, then as now, people went to the most extraordinary lengths to keep abreast of fashion. 

Evening Lecture and Dinner

In July, we have our, now annual, Evening Lecture and Dinner with our very own Pat Lock. I am not sure that L.S.Lowry counts as a ‘bad boy’ of the art world, so this could be the start of a new series and I am looking forward to learning more about this more quiet-living artist …

 Lowry developed a distinctive style of painting and is best known for his urban landscapes peopled with human figures, often referred to as "matchstick men".

He also painted mysterious unpopulated landscapes, brooding portraits and the unpublished erotic "marionette" works, which were only found after his death (ahem, not necessarily so mild as perhaps most people are aware!).

He was fascinated by the sea, and painted pure seascapes, depicting only sea and sky, from the early 1940s.

We will be at the Upchurch River Valley Golf Club from 5pm on Wednesday 15th July for the lecture, followed by a three-course dinner.

We need to take your payments and confirm bookings as soon as possible, Booking forms will be available at the May lecture day.

The past three years events have been very well received and guests are most welcome, so do please invite friends along for a very pleasant evening.

If you have any questions please email info@theartssocietymedway.org.uk

Venice’s unique position brought the city into contact with the different powers of the Eastern Mediterranean including the Byzantine Empire, the Mamluks and the Ottomans. This lecture explores the ways in which these interactions left their mark on the artistic heritage of the city as can be seen in Venetian architecture, painting and the decorative arts … and leads into further exploration of ‘the East’ in Western art through future lectures.

shell is an attribute of Aphrodite who was conveyed to Paphos on a shell; of Triton who calmed the waves by blowing a conch trumpet and of the pilgrim as seen, for example in scallop shells at the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. As exotic and beautiful objects of wonder, realistic groups of shells were faithfully reproduced within Dutch still life paintings of the 17th century. Real shells featured in grottos, such as that in Florence’s Boboli Gardens and as a decorative motif appear in European interiors of the Baroque and Rococo. Exotic and fragile shells were traded from the eastern seas, carved as cameos, ground into artists’ pigment, and mounted as drinking vessels in precious silver gilt, to be admired as wonders of the natural world in princely Cabinets of Curiosities. Shell specimens were collected during the 18th century Enlightenment by Sir Hans Sloane and were recreated as exquisite porcelain sculptures or as painted details on delicate porcelain vases and dishes. Mother-of-pearl has long been utilised as a decorative inlay on rare works of art from India and Japan and tortoiseshell was manipulated as a veneer for fine furniture. The lecture considers the beauty of shells in all of their variety. 

Wrotham pottery was made between 1612 and 1739 in a small area of Kent close to the village of Wrotham. This distinctive brown slipware, on which the names of the potters are frequently prominently displayed, has been popular with collectors since the end of the 19th century, and a large collection survives in the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. This talk explores what we know of the Wrotham potters themselves and looks at the many designs created in these local potteries before competition from large scale production in Staffordshire closed them forever.

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 late twentieth century onwards, glass art has become very diverse. But it is rare to find galleries hosting exhibitions devoted to these new trends. In 2024 2 Temple Place on London's Embankment bucked the trend with a ground-breaking exhibition, The Glass Heart, showcasing works by leading glass artists, and receiving rave reviews. 

This is an easy-going introduction into traditional, sub-Saharan African art, inspired by my own learning experiences with this fascinating subject during the decade that I lived in Johannesburg, South Africa. The talk focuses on general misconceptions, basic facts and comparisons, influences of Africa on Europe and vice versa. It offers a broad overview of the artistic production across the continent and provides guidance as to how to look at African art. The lecture explains not only the general premises of African art appreciation but, with a light touch, shows how art can be used to replace postal service, help with marriage problems or deal with unruly teenagers.

Charles Dickens has often been proclaimed as “The Man Who Invented Christmas” and indeed on hearing that Dickens had died, a cockney barrow-girl said: “Dickens dead? Then will Father Christmas die too?”  Dickens revived the Christmas traditions with his warm portrayal of Christmas in the domestic setting; with plum pudding, piping hot turkey, games, dancing  and family cheer by the hearth. Although he celebrated Christmas in numerous works it is his enduring masterpiece, ‘A Christmas Carol’ published on 19th December 1843 which immortalises the spirit of Christmas Cheer. Dickens was a man of extraordinary energy and talent: literary genius, reformer, public speaker, actor and amateur magician. In his lecture Bertie Pearce reveals a Dickensian Christmas with readings, biographical details and conjuring tricks.

Doors open at 10am for tea, coffee and chat.  The lecture will be preceded by the AGM from 10:30 to 10:50.  Attendees seated by 10:50 for a prompt 11am start.

In 1745, a Princess from the minor province of Anhalt-Zerbst in Saxony, married Prince Karl Peter Ulrich of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf, heir to the Imperial Russian Throne.  She was Princess Sophie Auguste Frederike and by 1762 she had deposed her, was crowned Empress Catherine II and became the sole ruler of the Russian Empire.  With seemingly inexhaustible wealth, she set about creating the most glittering court in Europe, if not the world.  From the arts, to architecture, to the most dazzling of jewels, her passion for cultivating, commissioning and collecting only the finest has formed the nucleus of the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg.  In his talk Andrew guides you through this fascinating time and illustrates what was created, lost and survives to this day, not to mention her private passions.

Doors open at 10am for tea, coffee and chat.  Attendees seated by 10:45 for a prompt 11am start.

The lecture will trace the story of Banksy’s humble beginnings as a tagger on the streets of Bristol in the 1980s to one of the most recognisable names in the art world.  We will examine the reasons behind his incredible rise, looking at some of his famous stunts and discuss what his influence has been on the art market today and look at what his legacy, if any, might be.

Doors open at 10am for tea, coffee and chat.  Attendees seated by 10:45 for a prompt 11am start.

Evening lecture and dinner at Upchurch Golf Course, bookings to be taken at May lecture

Artists have been depicting the Thames for over 500 years.  Normally they painted scenes up river from London Bridge. Yet the Lower Thames had its artistic admirers: some of them, like Turner and Constable, are well known.  Yet there is a welter of distinguished watercolour artists who depicted the Medway and the Lower Thames, about whom we hear far less, such as Paul Sandby who portrayed Rochester’s medieval bridge and castle, and John Cotman and William Wyllie.  Then there was the Dutch Raid on the Medway in 1667, portrayed it in great accuracy in at least four paintings.  For an unusual slant on the Thames, this tour of the Lower Thames and its tributaries will surprise those who thought they knew the river well.

Doors open at 10am for tea, coffee and chat.  Attendees seated by 10:45 for a prompt 11am start.

Dorothy Todd, the influential Editor of British Vogue, first brought Dorn to the public attention in 1925 and christened her the ‘architect of floors’.  This lecture reveals Dorn’s various commissions from the 1920s to the 1960s, which included designs for the Savoy Hotel Group in London, Eltham Palace, the London Underground and the White House in Washington DC.  In addition to her designs of wall hangings, carpets and rugs, Dorn also produced wallpaper and graphics, having studied graphic design at Stanford University prior to coming to live and work in London.  We will explore her extraordinary career and position her place as a designer whose name should be for ever enshrined in the history books of British 20th century Art Deco.

Doors open at 10am for tea, coffee and chat.  Attendees seated by 10:45 for a prompt 11am start.

Run by Sir Michael Balcon for decades, the studio reached its zenith in 1949, its annus mirabilis, releasing Passport to Pimlico, Whisky Galore!, and Kind Hearts and Coronets.  Now most celebrated for these and the similarly magnificent comedies that followed, Ealing's films have a reputation for cosiness, whimsicality, and an ever-so gentle subversiveness.  This talk revisits these films and reads them again, this time in the light of the post-war new waves that were beginning to emerge across Europe.  Ealing films – like the masterpieces of Italian neo-realism – are films set amongst the ruins, documenting the lives of citizens in bombed cities.  Viewed as comedies of rubble, they take on a far more serious set of meanings than their whimsical reputation suggests.

Doors open at 10am for tea, coffee and chat.  Attendees seated by 10:45 for a prompt 11am start.

China’s first Emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi (221-209 BC), unified China in 221 BC.  His greatest legacy, however, was born out of his obsession with immortality and this materialised in the form of the World’s largest Necropolis.  Its fame came originally from the discovery of the Terracotta Warriors in 1976 but now the site is recognised for its vast infrastructure of buildings, including the still sealed Emperor’s Mausoleum.  The lecture explores the excavation and re-creation of the Terracotta Army plus the other significant ‘Finds’ at the site.  In addition, there will be a review of current theories as to the purpose and construction of the Necropolis, including the risks and challenges of opening the Emperor’s Mausoleum.

Doors open at 10am for tea, coffee and chat.  Attendees seated by 10:45 for a prompt 11am start.

In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, most of the richest noblemen in Europe were dedicated patrons of the armourer’s art.  Armour was a kind of visual language used to project aristocratic identity, prestige and power.  The armour-making process demanded both fantastic skill in the sculpting of iron and steel and mastery of decorative techniques such as acid-etching and mercury-gilding.  This lecture serves as an introduction to the subject of armour - protective equipment for fighting which was also, crucially, an expressive art-form. 

Doors open at 10am for tea, coffee and chat.  Attendees seated by 10:45 for a prompt 11am start.

This talk provides an overview of the Church of England's magnificent 42 cathedrals, jewels in the crown of England's built heritage, some recognised as World Heritage Sites.  In addition to looking at their history and stories, evolving architecture and treasures, the talk considers the role of cathedrals over the centuries and specifically their role today. 

Doors open at 10am for tea, coffee and chat.  Attendees seated by 10:45 for a prompt 11am start.

Widely known for his outlandish appearances dressed as his feminine alter ego, Claire, Grayson Perry is now a core part of the art establishment.  A 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.  Often controversial, he tackles difficult subjects in a poignant yet witty way and holds a mirror up to society.  This talk will examine Grayson Perry’s work, his exciting and thought-provoking exhibitions, and the unique character inside the flamboyant frocks. 

Doors open at 10am for tea, coffee and chat.  Attendees seated by 10:45 for a prompt 11am start.

An unforgettable journey to explore the highlights of the vast Vatican Museums collection, with a deep focus on the spectacular frescoes by Michelangelo Buonarroti and others in the Sistine Chapel. Professional Rome tourist guide Stuart Harvey takes you on a virtual stroll through the corridors and rooms to see ancient classical statues that influenced renaissance and later artists, and also intricate roman mosaics, magnificent tapestries, and the beautiful frescoes by Raphael that decorate the private rooms of the 16th century Popes. We will end our journey in the Sistine Chapel, where Popes are elected in secret at Conclave. Here we can examine in depth Michelangelo's famous Creation frescoes on the ceiling and the magnificent Last Judgement and its deep symbolism.

Having never left the Russian nor Soviet empires in his lifetime, this Kiev-based artist can only have heard about the new tendencies in Western Art through magazines or publications. Nonetheless, Bohomazov managed to create masterpieces no less exceptional or ground-breaking than those of his European contemporaries. A difficult, at times tragic life, shaped by a passionate love story on a background of major historical upheaval – Oleksander Bohomazov is an artist of revolutionary ideas and unique style. James Butterwick examines the legacy of the genius who many consider the national artist of the Ukraine and how his work is finally moving into the light.

The antiques market has changed dramatically and now pieces that were made during the 1970s can fetch many times more than a piece made in the 1770s. Why has the teak sideboard you threw out become so desirable? Who is this Eames guy? Drawing a blank with Timo Sarpaneva? Who’s buying what and what are they doing with it? This practical and inspirational lecture looks at furniture, ceramics, glass, lighting and metalware, identifies key designs and designers, and the examines the revolutionary design movements they began.

A more specialised choice of lectures including some history & practical construction of frames, including the following subjects:- -Paintings in frames from contrasting eras, juxtaposing styles. -Symbolism in frames – insights into trophy frames (often in relation to old masters) and how they enhance the paintings for which they were designed. -The role of artists through history designing their own frames – the talk ranges from Michelangelo through to the work of the 20th century artists, and includes the French impressionists, and the Pre-Raphaelites along the way.

This talk examines the possibility that Burne-Jones was not actually a Pre-Raphaelite at all. Although he begins as one, his style moves up and away by the late 1860s and transforms into the huge paintings that relate to the vertical fifteenth century altarpieces that he absorbed on his four visits to Italy, the first two accompanied by John Ruskin. It was Burne-Jones that took English Art back to the spirit of medievalism, and it was through his love of myth and legend that the late Victorians rediscovered the middle ages. In this talk, his relationship to the art market is also explored, especially his impact on the newly formed Grosvenor Gallery, when London and especially the Kensington elite was totally swept away by his avant-garde style. His friendship with William Morris and the importance of the decorative arts to his paintings is also discussed, and the talk concludes with an in-depth analysis of his Series Paintings: The Briar Rose and the Perseus Series, and the dialogue that operated within them between masculine endeavour, shown in the cold grey palette and vertical movement, contrasted with the sleeping beauty who inhabits a still mute world of luxurious overgrown nature.

In May 2024 the National Gallery celebrates its 200th anniversary. The National Gallery is one of the greatest art galleries in the world. Founded by Parliament in 1824, the Gallery houses the nation’s collection of paintings in the Western European tradition from the late 13th to the early 20th century. The collection includes works by Artemisia Gentileschi, Bellini, Cézanne, Degas, Leonardo, Monet, Raphael, Rembrandt, Renoir, Rubens, Titian, Turner, Van Dyck, Van Gogh and Velázquez. The Gallery’s key objectives are to care for and enhance the collection and provide the best possible access to visitors.

Since its foundation in 1925, Faber and Faber has built a reputation as one of London’s most important literary publishing houses. Part of that relates to the editorial team that Geoffrey Faber and his successors built around them - TS Eliot was famously an early recruit - but a large part is also due to the firm’s insistence on good design and illustration. This lecture traces the history of Faber and Faber through its illustrations, covers and designs. Early years brought innovations like the Ariel Poems – single poems, beautifully illustrated, sold in their own envelopes. In the 1950s and 1960s, there was an emphasis on typography, led by the firm’s art director Berthold Wolpe; his Albertus font is still used on City of London road signs. In the Arts Society Medway 2024 lectures.docx 2 1980s, the firm started its association with Pentagram, responsible for the ff logo. Along the way, it has employed some of our most celebrated artists as cover illustrators – from Rex Whistler and Barnett Freedman to Peter Blake and Damien Hirst. Slides will range from book covers, advertisements and photos of key individuals, to illustrations of the concepts behind the designs. The talk will also be peppered with personal insight and anecdote. Faber and Faber is the last of the great publishing houses to remain independent. As the grandson of its founder, I grew up steeped in its books. I was managing director for four years and I remain on the board. I am passionate about the firm’s success, and intensely proud of my association with it.

While no longer a household name in the manner of Dürer or Rembrandt, the Dutch artist Hendrick Goltzius was regarded as one of the titans of printmaking for almost three centuries. To his contemporaries and subsequent generations, Goltzius’ contribution to the development of engraving could not be overestimated. Our journey into his life and oeuvre will include key examples by his hand and those of the workshop he established in Haarlem in the 1580s. With clients all over Europe - from princes to politicians - Goltzius applied his talents not only to his prints but to marketing a signature Goltzius ‘brand’, often in innovative and sometimes cunning ways. Like Michelangelo or Durer before him, or Rubens after him, Goltzius’ designs would have a long-lasting and far-reaching influence appearing in works of art as far as India and Indonesia.

This lecture focuses on the work and achievements of, and challenges faced by leading sculptors based in Britain in the 20th century. They comprise Henri Gaudier-Brzeska, Jacob Epstein, Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Anthony Caro, Elisabeth Frink and Antony Gormley. In their different ways, they all embraced modernism, but some more than others. Some looked to African, Oceanic and pre-Columbian cultures, while others looked to Paris. Some embarked on direct carving, while others modelled or shaped their materials. Some embraced social and humanitarian themes, while others opted for abstraction. For all these differences, the seven sculptors each produced bodies of work that will have a lasting effect on future generations. Mind you, sculpting can be a cut throat business, and there will be clashes and quarrels to tell you about too. The lecture will also feature a discussion of the difference between a sculpture and an installation, and how some modern artists did one or the other – or both!

Following the National Gallery of London's exhibition of the same title, this lecture gives a heady mixture of 'superstar' painter, immensely rich patrons on the move and a city whose modern face hides behind a romantic mask. Though some were little better than modern hooligans, many a grand tourist was highly sophisticated and had a lasting impact on Venice and how it is perceived today. These are magical paintings by an Italian artist greatly influenced by British taste and Britain boasts the greatest collection of his works, both in public and private hands. While these views depict a serene dreamland and have always been highly prized, Venice is now in serious trouble and needs a truly global cooperation to save it from sinking forever

Join Margaret for a seasonal hour of Christmas bygones and entertainment as she brings to life the joy of music through the ages at this time of year.  Keeping to a brief history of the harp, she concentrates more on the incredible pedal mechanism invented for the harp and demonstrates on her own instrument through a variety of music. Exploring some of the old Christmas Carols and their origins, Margaret will play a selection of festive favourites to get you in the mood for Christmas.

 Covent Garden was an artistic hub in the 1700s and we will see how important artists such as William Hogarth and Joshua Reynolds chose the area as a fashionable address; how geographically Covent Garden placed them in between patrons in the Royal Court at Westminster and the wealthy merchants of the City of London; and how local craftsmen such as framemakers, colourmen and printers supported artists' work.  We will also see how the 1700s was also a century in which British Artists became much more ambitious and campaigned for the first public exhibitions and art schools, which arguably led to the Golden Age of British Art.

Despite being the longest running play in the history of theatre, The Mousetrap is often treated with critical contempt. It is seen as a tourist attraction rather than serious theatre. This talk challenges this assumption and explores Christie as a theatrical experimenter, an innovator who played as many tricks with theatre audiences as she did with the readers of her novels. It also explores how significant theatrical metaphors recur throughout her fiction. Murder is rarely grizzly, often unrealistic, and always a performance.

The commander of HMS Victoria little expected when he docked in the port of Napier, New Zealand, on 3rd February 1931 that two hours later his vessel would be aground, the port wrecked and the town consumed by fire.  The earthquake struck at 10.47 and by the end of the day, Napier was in ruins.  But from this catastrophe rose a phoenix for Napier was rebuilt in record time and today Napier has the largest number of art deco buildings in the densest concentration of anywhere on the planet.  This lecture introduces you to pre-earthquake Napier; taking you through the quake and the rescue operation it then looks at the factors influencing the rebuilding.  Finally we go on a photographic tour of Napier as it is today so that you can see why Napier is known as The Art Deco Capital of the World

When discussing famous 19th century artists, the model central to their work is frequently overlooked.  This lecture explores the myths of the Impressionists’ models in France and the Pre-Raphaelite muses in England.  Some were artists in their own right, overshadowed by the men who painted them; others never overcame their lowly status as a model.  We look at the ways in which the force of the model’s personality influenced and determined the creation of some of the famous icons of this period.

The Bayeux Tapestry is one of Europe’s best-known treasures and one of the greatest works of art from the medieval period.  Its survival over nine centuries is little short of miraculous.  Embroidered on linen cloth and using woollen thread, its brilliant colours are undimmed.  The scenes in the Bayeux Tapestry depict the events relating to the struggle for the succession to the English throne from 1064, culminating at the Battle of Hastings in October 1066.  The Tapestry is a historical source of the first order.  However, the Tapestry still invites speculation, scholarly debate and controversy

The talk will explore Monet, Pissarro, Sisley and others, and their visits to Britain - why they came here, what they painted and the legacy for British Painting..

A look at the aims and history of the Turner Prize since its beginning in 1984, covering some of its more controversial aspects as well as some of its famous – and forgotten – winners.  We remind ourselves of some of the entries that were judged outrageous and eccentric by the media and also look at the cartoons and press comments of the day.  More pertinently we look at 4 winners, a Potter (Grayson Perry), a Painter (Peter Doig), a Sculptor (Antony Gormley) and an installation artist (Rachel Whiteread) to see if their subsequent work has justified the earlier accolade.

Buddhism originated in India in the fifth century BC and subsequently became the dominant religion in such far-flung nations as China, Japan, Cambodia and the Philippines.  Buddhist art was created to address its immense popularity, and it soon developed its own array of regional styles and symbols.  This lecture will introduce listeners to the basics of Buddhist art.  It will tackle early abstract representations of the Buddha, through Greek-inspired figurative sculptures, its main regional styles and the key symbols that were devised to represent the Buddha’s teachings.

In the last few years the top end of the art market has flourished, and collectors have been prepared to pay astonishing amounts to own a modern masterpiece.  This lecture is about the works that have sold for over $100 million and is an excuse to examine some beautiful and varied art. 

We’ll see some wonderful paintings including those by Picasso, Cézanne, Leonardo, Rembrandt, Modigliani, Klimt, Bacon and Pollock, all held together by the common thread of their extraordinary commercial value.

IAN SWANKIE

A Londoner with a passion for art and architecture, Ian is an official guide at Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Guildhall Art Gallery and St Paul’s Cathedral, and gives tours around each venue. He is also a qualified and active freelance London guide and leads regular tours for various corporations and organisations. Since 2012 he has led a popular weekly independent art lecture group in his home town of Richmond in West London. He is a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Art Scholars, one of the City livery companies.

To kick off our seasonal celebrations, musician and broadcaster Sandy Burnett is on hand to share his selection of much-loved Christmas tunes. Expect an hour of the finest festive music from across the globe – his selections include sparking moments from Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker, a heartwarming ballad from Mel Tormé, something from Soweto, a heavenly chorus from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Leipzig, an illustration of the English carol tradition at its finest - and something more cynical from Eartha Kitt…

The work of art is not just a symbol of creative genius but a historical object and the result of a laborious process of creation.  This lecture looks at the development of stained glass, its purpose, the process by which it was created and some of the extraordinary survivals.  From vast cathedrals to tiny chapels, we concentrate on the great achievements of the Middle Ages but consider, too, the reasons for the decline in popularity of this once-preeminent art form and some of the projects in which it has been reconsidered and revived.

When Diaghilev created ballet in the west in the early twentieth century, he brought extraordinary revolutionary energy from Russia. By bringing together talented artists of different disciplines; choreographers, 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.

Art UK was set up to catalogue every oil painting in public ownership in the UK. This unique and ambitious project involved visiting 3,000 collections across the country and photographing over 212,000 paintings. These paintings are reproduced in an acclaimed series of hardback catalogues entitled Oil Paintings in Public Ownership.

The paintings are freely available to view on the Art UK website (www.artuk.org). 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 The Arts Society's members. Each lecture is tailored to reflect the locality of the venue.

Contemporaneous with the Art Deco design movement, the Bauhaus revolutionised art school education, despite only running for 14 years in its native Germany. Members of staff escaping Nazi Germany soon established teaching practices in America, and the famous Preliminary course eventually formed the basis of art foundational training in Britain. The Bauhaus was unusual for an art school of the period in that it encouraged students to produce work in the avant-garde modernist style in all fields of art, design and architecture, with an eye to industrial production – all at a time when art schools elsewhere still drew from 19th century plaster casts.

William Morris’s firm of Fine Art Workmen was a close-knit group of artists, designers, and architects, including D. G. Rossetti, E. Burne-Jones, and Philip Webb as well as Morris himself. Much influenced by the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, they worked collaboratively on a variety of projects including the painting of the Oxford Union Debating Hall, and the decoration of Red House, before setting up the firm whose mission was to reform the decorative arts in Britain. This talk examines the origins of Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co in these early projects and the work associated with the firm in its first decade.

The past few decades have proved to be seminal for the momentum of contemporary art in India. The rapid growth in the country’s domestic economy and global outreach triggered significant political, social, cultural and experiential change which has been reflected in the work of talented artists; their fertile imaginations setting about the task of reflecting and explaining the shifting world about them. 

These artists describe multiple versions of contemporary life; their figurative themes range from hectic street scene to the newest shopping mall, from vibrant Hindu celebration to commercial urban setting.  Abstract and expressionistic work signals ideologies from reassuring ancient myth to cynical present and everything in between. Whether the chosen media is oil paint, steel, concrete, textile or everyday city debris, the work of this new generation of artists fiercely demands our attention and challenges us to see India through their eyes, and their experience. 

The first time the word cartoon was used in the sense that we know it today was in 1843 in Punch magazine.  But the employment of satire, caricature, speech bubbles and the writing of captions had been around long before then.  In this talk Ian tracks the early stages of cartoons and how, through the works of Hogarth and James Gillray, they gradually evolved.  Copious illustrations abound  from the masters of their craft such as John Tenniel, John Leech, David Low, Vicky, Ronald Searle, Heath Robinson and Giles; and, bringing it right up to date, with Gerald Scarfe, Steven Bell and Peter Brookes.

Ida and Louise Cook were destined never to marry after decimation of the men of their generation in World War One. When Ida became a successful Mills and Boon novelist they used their earnings to indulge their love of opera, travelling all over the world but especially to Salzburg. Familiarity with Austria enabled these two eccentric opera loving sisters to undertake dangerous undercover missions in the 1930s rescuing Jewish musicians and others from the Nazis.

This talk will explore the world of Opera in the 1920s and 30s - the clothes, music, celebrities, and the signed photographs coveted by fans. It will also show how Opera transformed the lives not just of these two sisters but of at least 29 families they saved. In 2010 the Government posthumously created the Cook sisters British Heroes of the Holocaust. 

As a child, Hans Andersen made puppet costumes, taught by his cobbler father. Later in life he sketched, though he never had lessons. He produced collages which anticipate early 20th century modernism and his papercuts of swans, ballet dancers, court ladies, dancing millers, storks, the sandman and other folklore figures, are exquisite and magical. He was a sharp observer of life in Copenhagen, saying of his stories “Every character is taken from life; I know and have known them all.” He was a keen traveller over much of Europe and part of Asia; “Life is to fly with railway flight around the earth – we’re long enough underneath it!” And, influenced by his friend, scientist H.C. Orsted, he was thrilled by the scientific discoveries of his day, even putting them into some of his 156 published stories. With slides of Andersen’s sketches, papercuts and collages, and illustrations of his stories by artists from all over the world, including Arthur Rackham, Edmond Dulac, Lars Bo and Kai Nielsen, and with paintings by Christen Kobke and other Danish artists from Andersen’s day. In her new study day on Andersen, Karin will enlarge further on all of the above.

A light-hearted but serious look at the business of museums, and collecting, and how easy it is to lose one’s way without introspection, vision and money. Whose stuff is it anyway? And what of the future? How to make people look at objects rather than striding past without stopping. What actually happens to visitors in museums and art galleries? Why, for example, are there so seldom seats?

This lecture seeks to provide a balanced insight into the life and achievements of one of the most important women in Chinese Imperial history.

From relative obscurity as a low-ranking consort we explore the events that led to her confirmation as Dowager Empress Cixi in 1861 and her strategy to preserve, then revitalise, imperial rule after a series of humiliating military defeats by Western Colonial Powers plus several brutal ethnic uprisings.

We will trace the distinct cycles of Cixi’s power, as Emperors came and went, whilst the Dowager Empress moved periodically from a position of influence to full authority and then into times of enforced retirement.

Looking beyond Cixi’s desire to force China into the modern world we will gain an insight into her life within her beloved Summer Palace with a focus on her passion for painting, embroidery, fashion design and the extensive gardens. A location where Cixi forged some extraordinarily close relationships with leading western women. 

Invented at the end of the 1830s, photography triggered a visual revolution. At the time, some feared that photography would replace painting altogether. It certainly did not but painting was not left untouched either. In this lecture we will consider how photography participated in changing the face of painting in the second half of the 19th century. It introduced a new relationship between reality and its representation that influenced painters such as the Realists and the Impressionists. It also encouraged painters to explore new directions. Freed from having to record the external world, painters could focus on more intangible things (such as emotions) or on formal aspects (such as colour for its own sake).

The work of women photographers has often been unfairly neglected. This lecture seeks to correct that by examining the contribution of three outstanding British practitioners; Julia Margaret Cameron, a Victorian pioneer; Jane Bown, a brilliant portraitist; and Fay Godwin, who excelled in landscape photography. We also explore the work of two highly influential Americans: Dorothea Lange, who produced brilliant documentary images and Annie Leibovitz, who continues to both surprise and delight her audience.

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.

Flamenco, the heartbeat of the south, its history, its rhythms
Flamenco is song, Flamenco is music, Flamenco is dance,

Flamenco is passion and poetry, Flamenco is a way of dressing,

Flamenco is a way of life.

Flamenco is a memory of a long ago past and the soul of the people of Andalucía.
And it is listed as World Heritage.

We would like to share our passion for flamenco with you and show you Flamenco is not just a show you can go to as evening entertainment, it is the heartbeat of the people of the South and part of everyday life.

We will look at the history of Flamenco and the origin of its name.
We will focus on the three essences of Flamenco: Song, Music and Dance while demonstrating examples of the rhythms.
There are 50 different song groups and we will demonstrate 7 of them.

Our Flamenco artists are local Spanish artists, they have performed abroad, far and near, and their very souls are flamenco!

Flamenco: the Heartbeat of the South, its History, its Rhythms

Dancers: Antonio and Elsa Guerra
Guitar: Ruben Portillo
Singer: Rosa Linares
Narrator in English: Helen Sijsling

The artists perform and demonstrate and I, the narrator, explain what they are doing.

All song texts are subtitled in English and Spanish, so you know what they are singing about.

Time : 55 minutes

Mr Punch – the most famous puppet character of all time. His comic irreverence gave “Punch” magazine its title. His anarchic vitality has inspired opera, ballet and punk rock and his enduring popularity has seen his likeness on goods ranging from Victorian silverware to computer video games. Appearing in England in 1662, Punch is descended from the Italian Clown Pulcinella of the 15th C Commedia Del’Arte tradition.  Even today This Lord of Misrule uses his slapstick to dispense with oppressive authority, be it politicians, political Correctness or the devil, while proclaiming his notorious refrain; ‘That’s the way to do it!”

Sarah Searight’s lectures are the result of travelling with an eye on historical background, on those who have lived, worked and also travelled, particularly in the Middle East and Central Asia, over the centuries.  In Lapis Lazuli, she seeks out the stone across a number of cultures and their histories and traverses a wide geographical area from Saharan Africa and the Middle East, to Central Asia and into Europe.

The return of Charles II led to the re-opening of theatres after the 18 year closure of public playhouses under the Commonwealth Government. The new theatres saw the first actress on the stage replacing the cross-dressing males, great actors and lively audiences. Restoration Theatre brought the morals of the court onto the stage in its comedies of city life and an era of great playwriting was unleashed.

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 nor did he share the wide-ranging talents which Leonardo and Michelangelo demonstrated in so many disciplines. Furthermore, 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 coveted 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.

The Arts Society Medway

 “Music to Inspire - from Buckingham Palace to the Caribbean!”

Musical Study / Special Interest / Discovery Day via Zoom, Tue 23rd March

In the comfort of your own home. Guests are absolutely welcome so do please share this information with family & friends (we are still looking to beat our attendance distance record of 3500+ miles!)

Lt.Col (Rtd). Dr. Graham Jones MBE - Dr Graham Jones started his professional life as a musician in the British Army and over a glittering career spanning nearly forty years, he retired as the Senior Director of Music, Household Division and Director of Music, Coldstream Guard position unequalled in military music.  During his career, he has recorded over forty albums.  He pioneered a music education programme with the University of Salford for military musicians resulting in a new Master of Music in performance degree.  Graham was made a Member of the British Empire by Her Majesty the Queen at Buckingham Palace for outstanding service to military music in 1993.

Having retired from military service, he is now enjoying a second career as a guest conductor, adjudicator, guest speaker, lecturer, recording consultant and educator.  Graham's charitable work includes event planning in support of the Royal British Legion and sitting on the London fundraising committee of the Army Benevolent Fund, the Soldiers' Charity.  During lockdown Graham has created an online TV show called Channel KT4 which is available on both YouTube and Facebook.

This Easter themed lecture traces the last day of the life of Christ as represented in Western European painting. Using a wide rage of examples but focusing on paintings from the 14th to 16th century, the narrative begun in the Garden of Gethsemane is followed to its culmination on the Mount of Golgotha.

At the start of the twentieth century, the dawn of modern art still saw artists mostly painting in oil paints or watercolours on canvas, and sculpting in plaster, bronze, marble or wood. What was painted or sculpted was often readily recognizable. By the end of the century, it seemed that art could be made from almost anything, and be displayed anyhow, with the idea behind an artwork being more important than its look. This approach to art was conceived in the 1910s with the ‘readymades’ of Marcel Duchamp, but emerged fully formed in New York in the 1960s with an art form now called ‘Conceptual Art’ and leading practitioners who focused on the idea for an artwork, and cared less or not at all if and how it was made. It was almost as if they wanted to dismantle the art market. This lecture will explore what brought about this dramatic change, and how Conceptual Art may be understood and appreciated with reference to major pieces from this genre including works by Duchamp, Sol Lewitt and John Baldessari. Works by UK artists, such as Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst, are also mentioned. Be prepared to be amazed, annoyed, intrigued and entertained. The lecture will be jargon-free with audience engagement, backed by high quality images.

During the Edo period of rule by the Tokugawa Shogunate (1615-1868), the arts of Japan gained in richness and diversity. With the rise of the merchant class and the growth of cities such as Edo (modern-day Tokyo), a new vitality was injected into traditional forms and an emerging middle class culture gave rise to exciting developments in the visual and performing arts. This lecture will consider the arts of the period including castle architecture, golden screen painting, ukiyo-e prints, textiles, lacquerware, and netsuke, as well as the emergence of the flamboyant kabuki theatre. It will provide a snapshot of both aristocratic and popular taste as Japan made the transition from feudal kingdom into modern state.

Punctuality being the politeness of princes, this lecture examines the reality of manners and etiquette in the later 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.

From September, until we are safely able to meet together en masse, lectures and study days will be delivered by Zoom and all you need to do to join in is open an email link.Alternatively, download the Zoom App, click 'Join Meeting' and type in the Meeting ID and password as requested. Click here for Frequently Asked Questions about Zoom.

Contemporary sculptor and installation artist Cornelia Parker is best known for her large-scale installations such as her (literally!) explosive work Cold Dark Matter: An Exploded View (1991), in which Parker took the archetypal British garden shed, and its contents, and had it blown up by the British Army!  The debris is then installed around a single light bulb, creating the dramatic effect of an explosion frozen in time. Intrigued as she is with the idea of ‘cartoon deaths’, of things being squashed, stretched, dropped from a height or detonated, she transforms everyday objects in order to investigate their nature and value.  However, such destruction very often results in work of extraordinary beauty and maps an intriguing and unique thought process.

From September, until we are safely able to meet together en masse, lectures and study days will be delivered by Zoom and all you need to do to join in is open an email link.Alternatively, download the Zoom App, click 'Join Meeting' and type in the Meeting ID and password as requested. Click here for Frequently Asked Questions about Zoom.

From calling ancient armies to battle to signalling the audience to stand for the National Anthem, drums and percussion have been a part of history well over and above their musical contributions.  We explore how the design, sound and awareness of percussion instruments and the demands of modern composers have developed almost out of all recognition during the last hundred years.  Contains rare video footage from the orchestra pit at the Royal Opera House.

From September, until we are safely able to meet together en masse, lectures and study days will be delivered by Zoom and all you need to do to join in is open an email link.Alternatively, download the Zoom App, click 'Join Meeting' and type in the Meeting ID and password as requested. Click here for Frequently Asked Questions about Zoom.

THIS LECTURE HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS GUIDANCE

When Modigliani arrived in Paris in 1906 at the age of 20, he was ready for life in Europe’s most exciting city.  Not only did he meet the leading artists of the day including Picasso and Diego Rivera and the sculptor Brancusi, but also the writers, philosophers and leaders of avant garde society, Max Jacob, Jean Cocteau.  He was known as the last Bohemian, a gentlemen, a true aristocrat.  Plagued by illness and the inevitability of an early death, he did everything in excess, from his treatment of women to his drinking and drug habits.  Despite that, he left a legacy of original portraits, graceful nudes and sculptures of haunting beauty which speak to us movingly of the passion and energy of his short eventful life.

THIS LECTURE HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS GUIDANCE

Mr Punch – the most famous puppet character of all time.  His comic irreverence gave “Punch” magazine its title.  His anarchic vitality has inspired opera, ballet and punk rock and his enduring popularity has seen his likeness on goods ranging from Victorian silverware to computer video games.  Appearing in England in 1662, Punch is descended from the Italian Clown Pulcinella of the 15th century Commedia Del’Arte tradition.  Even today This Lord of Misrule uses his slapstick to dispense with oppressive authority, be it politicians, political correctness or the devil, while proclaiming his notorious refrain “That’s the way to do it!”

THIS LECTURE HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS GUIDANCE

This lecture follows the travels of this precious stone from Afghanistan through burials in the ancient world, in wall paintings in medieval Byzantine churches, ending with early Renaissance Madonnas robed in ultramarine ground as pigment from lapis lazuli.

THIS LECTURE HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS GUIDANCE

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; nor did he share the wide-ranging talents which Leonardo and Michelangelo demonstrated in so many disciplines.  Furthermore, 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.

THIS LECTURE HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS GUIDANCE

This Easter themed lecture traces the last day of the life of Christ as represented in Western European painting.  Using a wide rage of examples but focusing on paintings from the 14th to 16th century, the narrative begun in the Garden of Gethsemane is followed to its culmination on the Mount of Golgotha.

Amazingly the connoisseurship which led to the sumptuous collections at the Wallace Collection in London and the Frick in New York, is lined by a circle of patrons, dealers and taste.  Apart from Sir Richard and Lady Wallace and the American industrialist Henry Clay Frick, there was someone who worked for them all, who then left a related fortune to the mother of Vita Sackville West.  Therein lies a great story.

‘The secret of my influence has always been that it remained secret’ – Salvador Dalí

Like the Renaissance artists he admired, Salvador Dalí did not restrict his creative output to painting but was also a writer, poet, engraver, sculptor, architect, photographer, theatre designer,  and jewellery designer.  As well as designing the latter, Dalí selected the materials to be used, focusing not just on the colours or the value of the material, but also on their symbolic meanings.  Jewels such as ‘El cor reial’ (1953, The Royal Heart) have become iconic works and are considered to be as exceptional as his paintings.  He also was an omnivorous reader who was as interested in science as he was in art and in this his work also reflects the Renaissance artist he admired.  This lecture explores the work of Dalí the designer and science enthusiast – a Renaissance artist in the 20th century.

The history of this enduring and peculiarly British institution takes you from its origin in 16th century Italian Commedia dell' arte through the influence of 19th century music hall, to the family shows loved today. We examine the origins of some of the stories and traditions used in pantomime. The talk is interspersed with personal anecdotes.

For the series Downton Abbey, Andrew was commissioned to produce many jewels for the main characters.

Jewellery and Fashion are often seen as two entirely separate and distinct fields of design but this is very far from the case.

In his talk, Andrew guides you through the extraordinary periods and events between 1890 and 1929, where the great fashion houses collaborated with the finest of jewellers to produce works of art of outstanding quality and glittering opulence.

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 111and 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.

Fine art has provided advertisers and their agencies with a great deal of material to use in their creative campaigns.

Tony 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 to the present fine art continues to provide opportunities to enhance Brand imagery with admiration, humour, satire and irony.

In spite of a rape trial when she was 18, Artemisia rose to become the first female member of the Florentine Academy with important patrons, including the Medici, King Philip of Spain and King Charles I.

Although currently less than 40 paintings are attributed to Artemisia, this lecture follows her spectacular career and looks at her dramatic paintings. The lecture also draws on her correspondence and other documents to bring the personality of this extraordinary woman to life.

Second Empire Paris was the new fashionable capital in Europe, and this talk focuses on how the new artists of modernity, Baudelaire's "Painters of Modern Life" , interpreted their rebuilt city. Manet and Degas showed a darker reality beneath the glittering surface; the new Brasseries where casual prostitutes mingled with the unsuspecting bourgeois, and the more blatant courtesans captured by Manet in "Olympia" and " Dejeuner sur l'herbe".

Raffles was the enlightened colonial administrator of Java, Indonesia. He discovered the 8th century Borobudur, hidden under volcanic ash in 1804; acquired wondrous artefacts in Java, such as shadow puppets and textiles, now in the British Museum ; and founded Singapore, the most important trading port in the east.

This lecture tells the story of Raffles, a scholar and polymath ; looks at the art objects he collected;  reveals the mystical temple in Java and its radiant carvings; and shows the architectural heritage of Singapore.

The Anglo-Saxons introduced Celtic design to England when they arrived in the 5th century and thereby instigated an English love affair that persisted into the late Middle Ages and beyond. From the zoomorphic interlace patterns of 8th century Gospel books, to the exquisite coloured drawings that illustrated 10th and 11th century monastic manuscripts from Durham Cathedral to Bath Abbey, this lecture explains how that love of line was made manifest.

On the basis of sensational new evidence from field research conducted by Neil and Professor Nick Saunders, Neil will contrast the legend of Lawrence of Arabia with the true story of what happened in the famous desert war of 1916-18. Is the legend a myth? Does the legend reflect reality?

Neil will analyse the  invention and re-invention of the legend from 1919 onwards through memoirs, photos, films, paintings, biographies and documentaries.

Primarily an exploration of the music chosen by ballet choreographers through the years, proving that the right piece with the right moves and design can create modern masterpieces and timeless classics. We transition through the grandness of Imperial Russia with Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty into the current modern repertoire of the Royal Ballet. Includes historical and recent video clips

10.30 a.m. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Followed by lecture

A Celebration of Christmas in Music and painting

ls it possible to imagine Christmas without music? ls it possible to imagine Christmas without sounds? ls it possible to imagine Christmas without pictures? ls it possible to imagine Christmas without colours?

lf, sadly, we suffer from blindness or deafness, then such joys are denied us, but for most of us, christmas is synonymous with sounds and ioiours, and that is what Janet will be presenting today - moving across the centuries of music and paintings in praise of Jesus's birth.

The Christmas Story starts with the Annunciation, linked to the beautiful words we hear every year from the Nine Lessons and Carols service broadcast from King's College Chapel, Cambridge. Eight artists have painted the eight chosen masterpieces, catching the importance of this moment, and the voices of the King's College Choir add to our pleasure. We are then to be taken to the next event, the Visitation, when Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth, illustrated by the music of John Tavener.
The Nativity releases sounds and colours in such abundance that it is almost impossible to choose the best illustrations.

Then follows the visit of the "Three Kings from Persian Lands Afar", the "Flight into Egypt", and the "Massacre of the lnnocents".

Augustus the Strong famously said, "Porcelain is like oranges; once you have tasted of their beauty you cannot live without them."

He rescued young alchemist Johann Friedrich Böttger (1682 –1719), who had fled from the Prussian court, to unlock the recipe for porcelain. But fearful of espionage, the King founded the royal manufactory at Albrechtsburg castle in Meissen, upriver from the Saxon capital of Dresden. Soon artist Johann Joachim Kaendler (1706–1775) was creating life-sized birds and animals, all in porcelain, on a scale unprecedented in Europe. Elaborate tableware followed. By the time he died, Augustus the Strong had amassed 35,798 pieces of porcelain! Discover some of these stunning works and the intrigue that surrounded them.

Sir Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), as Master of the Flemish School and more particularly the Master of the Antwerp School, was in this extraordinarily influential city in its golden age. This lecture shows the historical, political and artistic environment of this Spanish Hapsburg controlled centre at a time of great development. Rubens and Antwerp epitomise the Counter-Reformation in a cool climate. Economically, Antwerp was the competitor to Amsterdam but in a very different religious milieu. Antwerp was a centre for publishing, religious energy, power-broking and vibrant artistic endeavours.   Rubens, working as a painter and diplomat, knew all the leading figures nationally and internationally, from Charles 1 of England to Marie de Medici of France and Philip IV of Spain. He was in the right place at the right time.   The way in which he benefitted is shown through his palatial home, his atelier, his amazing collection and the circles of his acquaintance. 

​

Only one American, Mary Cassatt, exhibited with the lmpressionist group in Paris but, by the mid 1880s American lmpressionism had become an important art form in the U.S., inspired by, but not imitating the French prototype.
Artists such as Childe Hassam successfully blended their agaderylig.training with the vitality of lmpressionism, which they had encoLintered on their Euiofie6n iravels, to produce paintings that convejred the dynamism of the new country and its rapidly expanding cities; especially New York.
Simultaneously, painters like Theodore Robinson, who had been inspired by Monet at Giverny, based themselves in artists' colonies on the east coast of America. Here they found subject matter for paintings with a sense of nostalgia for a way of life that was fast disappearing as the traditional industries of fishing and agriculture were supplanted by the influx of tourists. Meanwhile John Henry Twachtman drew on diverse influences to produce wonderfully evocative winter scenes.
lmpressionism remained popular with American artists until the 1920s, although by the early 20th century the style had been supplanted in status by the new urban realists.
American lmpression embraces many superb artists who are barely known on this side of the Atlantic. This visually exciting lecture seeks to redress that situation.

​Donatello may have been born, in Florence, over 600 years ago, but his sculpture is so powerful that it still speaks directly to us today. Working alongside masters such as Brunelleschi, Ghiberti and Masaccio, he was one of the pioneers of the Renaissance and helped to change the way people looked at the world. From delicate idealism and startling realism, to the astonishing emotional force of his later works, this survey looks at the huge range of his sculpture, setting it against the vivid and colourful world of Italian politics in the age of the Renaissance.

​

Servant, Mistress, Scoundrel, Princess- a secret History of Kensington Palace

The history of palaces, as of humbler dwellings, is largely the story of the people who have lived and worked in them. Kings, Queens, and Princesses created the art and architecture of Kensington Palace from the late C17th onwards. Their households, servants and mistresses created, with them, a rich tapestry of  high politics and low scandal which brings the story of this  jewel box of a palace alive once more.

Handel and Rembrandt are wonderful examples of that comparative rarity, the Baroque Protestant. Both artists were reared in a religious tradition of deep involvement with stories from the Bible and were able to translate that involvement into works of art which, by sheer bravura and narrative drive, made them live for their contemporaries. Sarah looks at the Bible stories, such as Belshazzar's Feast which inspired both artists and show how, astonishingly - given their very different media, paint and music, - the two artists seem to bounce off each other.

At its nearest point Kent is only 22miles from the France. This, plus its long coastline and closeness to London have 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. Many poets, authors and artists have recorded this beautiful county in word and in the decorative arts. They will help me illustrate my story.

Dame Zaha Hadid died suddenly in 2016, at the age of sixty-five. Architectural historians of the future will surely recognise her as one of the most important architects of the 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 many of her designs were considered unbuildable, to the prolific crop of successful projects built  all over the world, in the last decade of her life,  including the London Aquatic Centre.

Colin Davis  –  Professor of Architectural Theory.  Former editor “Architects Journal and contributor to magazines worldwide.

This lecture examines the unusual phenomenon of the artist monk in Renaissance Florence, men who lived an austere and cloistered existence and yet rose to become some of the most successful and highly respected artists of their time. How were they able to lead these demanding and attractive double lives? These questions are discussed with reference to works on display in the National Gallery.

Sian Walters is an art historian and lectures for the National Gallery, Surrey University and NADFAS. Her specialist areas are 15th And 16th century Italian painting, Spanish Art and Architecture and the relationship between dance and art. Sian has been invited to give the prestigious annual T. Rowland Hughes Lecture at the University of Wales. She studied at Cambridge University and gained a1st for her dissertation of the paintings of Arnold Shoenberg.