This lecture looks at Western bookbinding, in particular during the age of the printed book. Since 1992 Caroline Bendix has been the adviser and trainer for The Arts Society's Heritage Volunteers projects.

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest. All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

Aristocrat, politician, rake and revolutionary: William Cavendish, 4th Earl and 1st Duke of Devonshire, is certainly one of the more colourful of seventeenth-century noblemen.

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest. All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

When Jane Austen declared that she wrote 'only for fame', she was, of course, being ironic - she published anonymously and her books fell out of print shortly after her death. This lecture will chart Jane Austen's rise to fame.

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest. All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

This talk is about Brian's travels and the experiences that he encountered whilst living and travelling amongst the nomadic tribes, whilst in search of their woven art.

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest. All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

Join professional Rome tourist guide Stuart Harvey for a journey through 2000 years of Christianity as we explore the art and history of the spectacular St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest. All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

Alice provides a painter's perspective on famous artworks from the 17th to the 21st centuries. This lecture uncovers a new way of seeing paintings.

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest. All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

Cezanne's ever - more courageous, 'modern' mode of painting showed a radical disregard for the realism dominant since the Renaissance and pointed the way to the increasingly abstract experiments of the 20th century.

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest. All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

A vivid portrait of enigmatic artist Eric Ravilious by the curator of the blockbuster 2015 exhibition Ravilious at the Dulwich Picture Gallery.

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest. All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

We will take a journey around some of the most evocative and splendid stations in the world, looking at the magnificent architecture, brilliant engineering and artworks within the stations.

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest. All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

Whether drawing duchesses or portraying princes, John Singer Sargent was high society's leading portraitist. This talk charts the artist's life and his prolific output.

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest. All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

Working with young people experiencing challenging life circumstances, Music:Fusion is a safe place for them to take a breath, connect, make friends and great music.

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest. All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

To celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in America, explore 25 iconic works.

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest. All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

We take it for granted, yet our capital's Tube railway system is the producet of intense attention to design detail.

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest. All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

The story of the revolutionary company which Diaghilev established in Paris in 1909 and led until his death in 1929.

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest. All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

Men's tailoring over the past 200 years, told through the lives of the men who commissioned and created and wore it.

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest. All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a pink Arts Society token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

This lecture explores the design philosophy of William Morris and examines his life and work in the context of his own homes.

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest. All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a pink Arts Society token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

In October 1888 Paul Gauguin arrived in Arles to stay at the Yellow House with Vincent van Gogh. At first the friendship worked well, however divisions soon appeared.

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest. All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a pink Arts Society token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

A fascinating lecture of how opera began, developed and spread worldwide; from 1600 to the present day. From its baroque beginnings right up to the modern-day Hamilton.

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest. All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a pink Arts Society token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

This lecture provides an insight into the origins and evolution of the 2000 year history of Regulated Court Costume, plus dress accessories.

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest. All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a pink Arts Society token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

One of the most extraordinary Spanish artists from Valencia, he lived from 1863 to 1923 and created a world full of light and colour which delights the senses.

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest. All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a pink Arts Society token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

For half a century, from the 1870s to the 1920s, women around the world were in thrall to feathered fashion.  The cost to the birds was high.  The exploitation of female labour was troubling.  But the hats themselves were magnificent objects of art...

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest. All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a pink Arts Society token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

IN THE WAKE OF HANDEL: THE IMPACT OF HANDEL ON 300 YEARS OF BRITISH CULTURE   

Despite his German birth and his Italian musical training, Handel remains one of the most important composers that England ever nurtured. Not only did his music have direct influence on his musical contemporaries, but his larger-than-life personality had a profound effect on the literary, visual and decorative arts as well – both in his lifetime and after his death, in 1759. By exploring the works of the French sculptor Roubiliac, the paintings of Hudson and Denner, the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, the novels of Samuel Butler, the Crystal Palace, the chimes of Westminster, as well as compositions by Sullivan and Tippett, the lecture assesses the cultural influences Handel had on a nation, as he once wrote, “from whom I have receiv’d so Generous a protection”. 

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest. All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a pink Arts Society token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

In 1882 Gertrude Jekyll urged gardeners to "remember that in a garden we are painting a picture".  This talk not only looks at how to exploit colour and light when designing a border, but it also looks at the ways in which a border is different from a painting.

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest. All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a pink Arts Society token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

During the so-called "Gilded Age" in the latter part of the 19th Century huge fortunes were made, most notably by the Vanderbilt and Astor dynasties.  They crowned their success in New York by building magnificent mansions.  Their heyday was short-lived however, but their fascinating story lives on.

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest. All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a pink Arts Society token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

The extraordinary story of the rebuilding of the Cathedral as a symbol of peace and reconciliation and its inspiring commitment to the modern.  Experience the work of many of the world-class artists associated with its treasures includind Epstein, Frink, Piper and Sutherland.

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest. All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a pink Arts Society token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

As patrons, the Medici family played a key role in the development of Florentine renaissance art.  They used art to express their wealth, power, piety and civic pride, but were also discerning and innovative patrons and collectors, often forming close relationships with the artists they employed.

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest. All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a pink Arts Society token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

Monet began his iconic large-scale images of his water pond in Giverny at a time of personal turmoil and sadness in 1914.  Then in his mid-seventies, he begen the most demanding and innovative paintings he had ever attempted.

Using illustrations from illuminated manuscripts, readings from literature and contemporary accounts, and the haunting songs, carols and lively dance tunes of medieval England, Sarah brings alive the spirit of a Medieval Christmas.

A general introduction to the tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, known by its inhabitants as Druk Yul or Land of the Thunder Dragon, which for centuries has preserved its traditional Buddhist values.

If you plan to attend a talk in person at The Spring we do ask you to please email tasptalk@gmail.com to book your seat. This helps us to ensure that we have enough seats available. Please also email if you wish to bring a guest.

All of our talks are also available live on Zoom and the Zoom link is always included in the Newsletter.

When you arrive at The Spring please be sure to register at the TASP registration desk situated by the entrance near the Box Office. You will be given a pink Arts Society token which you hand in as you go into the theatre. The Spring is a public building and this way we can ensure that only TASP members and guests come in to the theatre.

In 1565, Pieter Bruegel the Elder was commissioned to create a series of paintings for a dining room in Antwerp.  The images, charting the course of a year, changed the way we view the world through art.

Please email tasptalk@gmail.com  to indicate whether you are planning to come along in person to The Spring. Please email the café on cafeadmin@thespring.co.uk to pre-order food 2 days before. Please click here for the food and drinks Menu

Please click the link to join via zoom: https://theartssociety-org.zoom.us/j/97754964455   There is no limit on the number attending via zoom. 

 

The Mary Rose, a flagship of Henry VIII's, sank off the coast of Portsmouth in 1545.  Rediscovered in the 1960s, the following years saw the excavation of over 19,000 objects, culminating in the excavation of the hull in 1982.  The conservation techniques and strategies employed over the last three decades will be discussed alongside new materials and methods being developed to ensure the long term protection of this important cultural heritage.

This lecture will be held at The Spring Theatre, Havant PO9 1BS

Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) and Diego Rivera (1886-1957) have iconic status in Mexico.  This lecture surveys the work of both artists; it chronicles their turbulent marriage and Mexico's history after the 1910 revolution.

This lecture will be held at The Spring Theatre, Havant PO9 1BS

British photography enjoyed a golden age in the 1960s.  Young, talented newcomers broke out of the conventional studio to revolutionise perceptions of fashion, portraiture and popular culture.

This lecture will be held at The Spring Theatre, Havant PO9 1BS

This talk will look at the careers of both men: Freud's legacy of being brought up in the Berlin of the Weimar Republic, and Hockney's journey from Bradford to Swinging 1960s London to hedonistic California and finally back to Bridlington.

This lecture will be held at The Spring Theatre, Havant PO9 1BS

The work of French artists is the best-known form of Impressionism today; in the 19th century the term 'Impressionist' encompassed numerous styles.  There were many local interpretations, all deriving from the practice of painting en plein air (in the open air) - and Australia was no exception.  The swift, open brushwork lent itself well to capturing the energy of Australia's modern cities and awe-inspiring landscapes beyond.

This lecture will be held at The Spring Theatre, Havant PO9 1BS

The name of this boy-king conjures up wonderful imagery and mysterious tales of the pharaohs.  This lecture will explore this unusual tomb and its iconic treasures.

This lecture will be held at The Spring Theatre, Havant PO9 1BS

What role did the merchants, the designers, mercers, dyers and throwsters, the master weavers and the journeyman weavers play in the silk trade which raised English style and elegance to a level deemed superior to that of France by the mid-18th century.

This lecture will be held via Zoom only.  Details will be e-mailed to members.

Christmas spectacles, slapstick and beanstalks have been drawing crowds to Covent Garden since 1737.  This lecture pulls together the whole performing tradition and brings it up to date.

This will be the last lecture to be held at St Nicholas Church Hall, Bedhampton.

The 8000 km Silk Road from China through Central Asia to the Mediterranean acted as a highway for beliefs, ideas, inventions and art.

Insights into Germany's fascinating and on-going efforts to find artistic forms to remember and apologise for one of history's darkest periods.

Edward James established the Edward James Foundation at West Dean as a charitable educational trust to fulfil his desire to nurture music, traditional cfafts and the fine arts.

This lecture is a look at backstage life at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and the pressures faced by performers, be they singer, dancer, conductor or musician.  We see how the building copes with the demands of modern productions and examine audience expectations both inside the theatre and out.  Includes several performance video clips.

Please note this lecture willo be held in St Nicholas Church Hall.

Big Ben is one of the most iconic buildings in the world - it identifies the UK and democracy in the Western world.  Using stunning images, Tim will take you on a virtual tour of the interior, saving you the effort of climbing 334 spiral stairs.  He will explain the historical background and discuss the friction between the often controversial personalities involved in the building and designing of the tower.

The reign of Queen Victoria witnessed a spectacular rise in the visibility, wealth and prestige of English artists and designers.  Leading this resurgence was a group of artists who established their studios in and around the new, fashionable district of London's Holland Park.

Charles John Huffam Dickens brought into the world a staggering array of wonderful characters with orphans, starving children, misers, murderers and abusive school teachers among them.  In his lecture Bertie Pearce looks at the life and places of Dickens through his characters.  The talk is interspersed with readings of his works.  A truly Dickensian experience.

At The Spring, Havant 7.30pm.  Tickets £12 from The Spring Box Office.  Please see 'News' for more details.

Murder, poison, corruption and incest:  all perfect ingredients for sensational popular culture.  But in an age known for its brutality and church corruption were the Borgias really so bad?  This lecture reveals the real family that dominated the Papacy and Italian politics during the last decade of the 15th century.

Worshipped by Aesthetes and cultivated by Impressionists the sunflower casts its golden rays across art and culture.  We trace its history from classical myth to twentieth century painting via Van Dyck and Van Gogh, Clytie and Klimt, Monet, Rivera, Wilde and Watts.

Prague is one of the great treasure houses of Europe.  The lecture looks at the rich fabric of Prague's past, its legends and its history, as well as the artists, composers, statesmen and rogues that have illuminated this fairy tale city.

The lute holds a special place in the history of art.  This lecture looks at the lute, and other musical instruments, as devices to express various aspects of the human character throughout the ages.

From 1912 Tom Thomson and the 'Group of Seven' revolutionised Canadian painting.  They were inspired by the Canadian landscape and the wilderness to the 'north'.

PLEASE NOTE:  this lecture will not be held in the Church Hall but electronically via Zoom.  Further information will be sent to members.

Katie Childs has had a prolific career in the heritage sector, joining the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in the summer London was awarded the Olympics, working as International Programme Manager at the British Museum, and later becoming Policy and Projects Manager for the National Museum Directors’ Council, before taking up her role at the Imperial War Museum.

Of her appointment as Chawton House’s Chief Executive, she says: “The organisation has undergone immense changes over the past two years and I am excited to join it at such a pivotal moment. Having finished 2018 with the Armistice commemorations, the time felt right to face a new challenge. I look forward to continuing the work of this significant cultural and literary destination and help develop a sustainable future for the charity.”

Chawton House is open to the public seven days a week from March to December. Visitors can enjoy the Elizabethan manor house, extensive grounds and unique library collection. The charity remains committed to maintaining its outstanding collection of early women’s writing, accessible to all readers who wish to consult it.

PLEASE NOTE:  this lecture will not be held in the Church Hall but electronically via Zoom.  Further information will be sent to members.

Official Guide and Lecturer at Tate Modern, Tate Britain and Guildhall Art Gallery. Pallant House Gallery Lecturer. Qualified Guide to the City of London, offering lectures and walks about many aspects of the arts for societies, corporations and private individuals. Member of the City of London Guide Lecturers Association. Co-author of the book Lord Mayor's Portraits 1983-2014 (2015). Alexandra’s background is in design having practised as a graphic designer running her own design consultancy for many years. BA Saint Martins School of Art, MA London College of Printing.

The 'poor little rich girl' who changed the face of twentieth century art. Not only was Peggy Guggenheim ahead of her time but she was the woman who helped define it. She discovered and nurtured a new generation of artists producing a new kind of art. Through collecting not only art but the artists themselves, her life was as radical as her collection.

PLEASE NOTE:  this lecture will not be held in the Church Hall but electronically via Zoom.  Further information will be sent to members.

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

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.

PLEASE NOTE:  this lecture will not be held in the Church Hall but electronically via Zoom.  Further information will be sent to members.

Now working as a freelance lecturer in the History of Art, Lynne originally trained as a fine artist and has taught painting, drawing and printmaking in higher and adult education. She lectured as an art historian for the universities of Sussex and Bristol where she introduced 'Understanding Art' to the Lifelong Learning programme and residential summer schools. Gives talks, lectures and guided tours to a wide range of organisations and institutions including ARCA colleges, the National Trust, National Gallery, art museums and art societies. She has worked as a professional artist specializing in oil painting and etching. Solo and group shows have included the RWA, British Museum and the Barbican.

Merchants of the Dutch Golden Age filled their town houses with paintings. But these upright Calvinist citizens rejected biblical subjects and Baroque melodrama.

Favourite themes were found closer to home. Still Lifes reflect the prosperity and self-esteem of the new Republic. The detailed realism of these paintings is compelling but is there more to Dutch art than meets the eye?

Banketje (banquets) and ontbijtjes (breakfasts) celebrate an abundance of foodstuffs. Could the curl of lemon peel, platter of oysters, kraakware bowl of blemished fruit or spiced meat pie warn of the dangers of gluttony and pleasures of the flesh?

Vanitas, ‘pronkstilleven’ and ‘blompots’ display treasured possessions. If we look closely, however, the pocket-watch, fading bloom or, more explicitly, human skull, might hint that consciences are troubled by such ostentation.

Join me to explore the secret symbolic language of Still Life paintings and become a fluent reader of ‘Double Dutch’!

PLEASE NOTE:  this lecture will not be held in the Church Hall but electronically via Zoom.  Further information will be sent to members.

Dr Paul Roberts is the newly appointed Sackler Keeper of Antiquities at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford University. From 1994 to 2014 he was Senior Roman Curator in the Department of Greece and Rome at the British Museum, where he was the driving force behind the major exhibition Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum. At the Ashmolean he worked on an exhibition for 2016 Storms, War and Shipwrecks: Sicily and the Sea- telling the history of Sicily through shipwreck finds around the island. He studied at the Universities of Cambridge, Sheffield and Oxford and lived in Italy for several years, in Milan, Rome and Naples. He has excavated in Britain, Greece, Libya, Turkey and in particular Italy, where he directs excavations in the Sabine hills near Rome. His research focuses on the day-to-day lives of ordinary people in the Greek and Roman worlds. He has accompanied tours to Sicily, the Bay of Naples and Rome and has written books on Roman daily life, Roman Emperors, mummy portraits and Roman glass. He is currently writing a walking tour of Ancient Rome.

For the Romans, life meant getting together to eat and drink, in a pub or at a banquet. This talk, based on the 2019-2020 exhibition Last supper in Pompeii at the Ashmolean Museum Oxford, celebrates the Roman love affair with food and drink - a journey, from fields and vineyards to markets and shops, from tables to toilets and the tomb. 

We see the influence of the Greeks and mysterious Etruscans, and visit fertile Vesuvius to see how Romans got their food and drink (and a Roman vineyard buried in AD79!). Into the bustling city, past hawkers, shops and bars we enter the house, visit the shrine of the gods (with a chicken head!) and the gorgeous garden with its flowers and fountains. We recline in the dining room, with exotic food and fine wine, and surrounded by Greek-style luxury – fine silver, mosaics and frescoes.  A skeleton mosaic reminds us that death is always at the feast…saying to us loud and clear “Seize the day - Carpe diem!!”  Dare we see the kitchen? No fridge, no running water, no hygiene – and there is the toilet, feeding into a cess pit below….

Lastly, we look at how Roman ideas and customs on food caught on in Roman Britain. Along with Roman gods of fertility and wine, come exotic imports like pepper, figs and finest fish sauce. We witness the birth of the British beer industry with the first brewer, cooper and beer deliveryman and even see the British dead, feasting into the afterlife, like all good Romans. 

Death comes as the end and we come face to face with the resin lady, a real inhabitant of Pompeii who died in the eruption, but we finish with the convivial afterlife she would have hoped for.

PLEASE NOTE: This lecture will be held via Zoom.  Further information will be sent to members.

Sarah is a graduate and prize-winner from the Royal Academy of Music and in 2015 was elected an Associate. She performs, writes and lectures about the harp regularly in America, Australia, Europe and UK. All lectures are presented digitally and include live music and songs on harps and other instruments depending on subject matter. 

Using illustrations from carvings, wall paintings, pottery, mosaics, sculpture, stained glass, illuminated manuscripts, and 18th and 19th century art, Sarah traces the history of one of the world's most ancient and beloved musical instruments from thousands of years BC, to its arrival in northern Europe, including the huge developments and improvements during the Renaissance and 19th centuries that created the highly mechanised and beautiful instrument we see played in orchestras and as solo instruments today. Performing on her own reproduction and antique instruments, Sarah will demonstrate the development and evolving sound and repertoire of the harp throughout its history.

PLEASE NOTE:  this lecture will not be held in the Church Hall but electronically via Zoom.  Further information will be sent to members.

Rosalind White has a BA and MA from Goldsmith’s College, and an MA (distinction) from Birkbeck College. Experienced guide at Tate Britain, Tate Modern, the Royal Academy and Greenwich. Lectures at Tate, to independent art societies and on cruises. Leads art appreciation holidays.

Lowry produced some of the country’s most original and distinctive paintings, creating a social document of a now bygone industrial age. This lecture features many of those well-known industrial scenes, alongside seascapes and portraits; works that are less readily associated with him. The lecture explores his life in and around Salford, his attitudes and his healthy disregard for the trappings of fame and fortune that were eventually to be his. An exploration of a life and a body of work full of surprises and contradictions.

PLEASE NOTE:  this lecture will not be held in the Church Hall but electronically via Zoom.  Further information will be sent to members.

David Phillips studied History at Oxford, and from 1968-82 worked for Nottingham Castle Museum. From 1982-98, Lecturer in Museum Studies and Art History at University of Manchester. Published a book about museum practice with Manchester University Press, Exhibiting Authenticity 1997. 

Even in ancient Rome people made complaints about the mid-winter Saturnalia celebrations remarkably like the ones we hear today about our commercialised Christmas. In a light-hearted historical review we discover some wonderful and some gloriously awful Christmas imagery, from Giotto’s painting of the first Christmas crib until Dickens meets Coca Cola amongst the movers and shakers who sometimes seem to have turned Christmas into Kitschmas. 

PLEASE NOTE:  this lecture will not be held in the Church Hall but electronically via Zoom.  Further information will be sent to members.

Toby is an experienced lecturer and public speaker who has been accredited by The Arts Society since 2012. His career began with Natural Sciences at Cambridge and has been through investment banking, management consulting and five years as managing director of the publishing company founded by his grandfather, Faber and Faber, where he remains on the board. He is also non-executive Chairman of its sister company, Faber Music and a director of Liverpool University Press. Toby has written three narrative histories: 
Stradivarius – Five Violins, One Cello and a Genius; Faberge’s Eggs; and Faber & Faber – The Untold Story, as well as a novel, Close to the Edge. Of these, only the obvious one is published by the family firm.

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 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, and as the grandson of its founder, Toby grew up steeped in its books.

PLEASE NOTE:  This lecture will not be held in the Church Hall but electronically by Zoom.  Further information will be sent to members.

An independent art historian specialising in British art of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. She studied at the University of York and Birkbeck College, London. Formerly a curator at Tate Britain she has curated a number of exhibitions and has published widely on J.M.W. Turner, including contributions to the forthcoming online catalogue of the Turner Bequest. She is also co-editor and author of How to Paint Like Turner (Tate Publishing, 2010). In addition, she has published on Walter Richard Sickert and is co-author of Tate's catalogue of works by the Camden Town Group.

 J.M.W. Turner is often thought of as the great artistic traveller of his age, wandering around Britain and Europe in search of inspiring landscape scenery. Yet one of his most enduring subjects was found on his doorstep in his native city of London. This lecture examines Turner’s engagement with the River Thames. Living by or near its banks throughout his life, the artist was endlessly fascinated by the river. From Oxford to the Estuary, he variously explored its views and moods, its cultural and national symbolism, and its historic and contemporary associations. Rich in meaning and visual effects, the Thames became one of Turner’s most frequently depicted subjects and by the end of his life had inspired some of his most innovative and celebrated works.

We regret that this lecture has been cancelled due to the coronavirus situation.

The AGM will be rescheduled for later in the year.

This illustrated talk will introduce the personal archive of West Dean College's founder, Edward James and discuss how it reflects his remarkably varied and culturally active life.  Best-known as the influential patron of surrealist artists such as Dali, Magritte and Carrington, James' activities extended acroos the arts spectrum encompassing ballet, music and literature and involved not merely patronage but creative collaboration, publishing and art collecting.

A new project to catalogue the Cultural Papers held in the Edwiard James Archive is currently underway.  This talk will show how the archive illuminates James' varied roles and interests, his complex web of personal associations and his own private thought world.  It will explain how the cataloguing project will open up the archive as a research and teaching resource by creating an online searchable catalogue for the first time.

Simon Coleman is the Archivist at West Dean House and Gardens.

We regret that this lecture has been cancelled due to the coronavirus situation.

Charles John Huffam Dickens brought into the world a staggering array of wonderful characters with orphans, starving children, misers, murderers and abusive school teachers among them.  People such as Mr Micawber, Fagin and Abel Magwitch remain in one's literary psyche long after the books are put down.

Largely self-educated, Dickens possessed the genius to become the greatest writer of his age with 15 major novels and countless short stories and articles.  In his lecture Bertie Pearce looks at the life and places of Dickens through his characters.  The talk is interspersed with readings of the works.  A truly Dickensian experience.

Bertie Pearce has a BA (Hons) in Drama from Manchester University and a Diploma Internationale from the Ecole Internationale du Theatre, Jacques Lecoq.  A member of the Inner Magic Circle with Gold Star.

We regret that this lecture has been cancelled due to the coronavirus situation.

A talk exploring the many depictions, myths and cultural roles of that most glorious of plants, the sunflower.  Tracing its origins from South America, its association with the god Apollo, to its role in art as personification of kings starring in depictions by artists from van Dyke to van Gogh.  Worshipped by the aesthetes and Arts and Crafts movement it found favour in the gardens of the Impressionists, and lent a touch of magic to the humbler cottage garden.  From Clytie to Klimt this is the extraordinary tale of an extraordinary plant.

Twigs Way has a PhD in historic landscapes and culture, and a particular interest in the overlap between art, literature and gardens.  Her present career consists of lecturing, research, writing, publishing and crafting landscape management plans, visiting historic sites and indulging an enduring fascination with the history of female gardeners.

We regret that this lecture has been cancelled due to the coronavirus situation.

From 1912 Tom Thomson and the 'Group of Seven' revolutionised Canadian painting.  Some were war artists who went on to produce wonderful portraits and townscapes but all were inspired by the Canadian landscape and the wilderness to the 'north'. The early focus was on Algonquin Park near Toronto, into which Tom Thomson mysteriously disappeared in 1917.  The others continued throughout the 1920s and 30s and 'moulded the way Canadians looked at their land'.

The talk will discuss the main artists within the group and show many of their defining paintings.

Richard Thomas completed an MA in Canada in Development Studies, and a PhD from Trinity College, Dublin in History and Political Science.  His career as an academic and as a political and institutional analyst in the field of International Development enabled him to travel widely.

We regret that this lecture has had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus situation.  The Spring will contact you re a refund.

This public lecture is being held at the Spring Arts Centre in Havant at 7pm.  Tickets from the Spring Arts Centre Box Office 023 9247 2700

Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770-1827) is one of the giants in the history of music and his compositions are among the most loved and admired of all time.

But, behind the music, Beethoven wrestled with personal demons including increasing desfness, loneliness and the loss of patrons and support due to the impact of the Napoleanic wars.  The lecture examines Beethoven's genius as a composer and shows that no matter what impacted on him in his daily life, his music always rose above it.

Betty Joel, born Mary Stewart Lockhart, ran a furniture making and design business.  At its peak, in the 1920s and 30s, Betty Joel Ltd employed 50 craftsmen and had showrooms in Knightsbridge.  With no formal training, she created, through a flair for branding and marketing, the leading furnishing company of the day in London.  

This talk explores her early life and marriage to David Joel, exhibitions and projects.  Her clients included royalty, high society, politicians, banks, the Savoy Hotel, as well as film companies and theatres.  With rare access to three surviving schemes, the style and glamour of 1930s design is brought to life and retells the story of a determined woman in a world still run by men.

Clive Stewart-Lockhart studied on the Sotheby's Works of Art course and has now been working in the fine art world for 40 years.  He is the Managing Director of Woolley and Wallis, the UK's leading regional auctioneers in Salisbury and has been a specialist on the BBC Antiques Roadshow for over 20 years.

The great composer Franz Schubert (1797-1838) surrounded himself with a brilliant circle of artists, poets and musicians whose talents and kindness fed his Romantic creativity.  This presentation tells the story of how Schubert rewarded his friends with gifts of his 'divine music'.

Celebrated images of Schubert are illustrated by Dr. Griffiths at the piano via musical 'postcards' which immortalise the names of Schubert's devoted companions.  To conclude, a performance of Impromptus (1828): masterpieces of great lyrical beauty and power.

Graham Griffiths is a lectuer, conductor, pianist and composer.  Music Research Fellow (City, University of London). DPhil., Musicology (Christ Church, Oxford 2008), PGCE (Cambridge), BMusHons (Edinburgh).

It is sometimes difficult for us to understand the full meaning of a painting from the past due to the wealth of symbolism it contains, much of it obscure to us today but instantly recognizable to contemporaries.  

This lecture aims to peel back the layers of Renaissance art by deciphering the meaning of some of these symbols - spiritual and secular, virginal and vulgar - and so enable us to read these paintings like the people for whom they were intended.

Shirley Smith graduated from the University of East Anglia with a first class honours degree in the History of Art, specialising in the Italian and Northern Renaissance.  She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a part-time lecturer for the University of East Anglia and for the Department of Continuing Education of the University of Cambridge.

Where better to spend Yuletide than in snowy Russia?  Imagine yourself wrapped in furs, speeding along in a troika, bells ringing, as you come home from church after celebrating the end of the 40 day Christmas fast.  This lecture explores the traditional religious and folk customs associated with Christmas in Russia before the Revolution, the secular celebrations introduced to Russia by Peter the Great, the drastic changes introduced in Soviet times by Stalin and what Christmas means to Russians today.

Rosamund Bartlett has a Doctorate from Oxford and has held senior university posts, most recently at the European University Institute in Florence.  She specialises in comparative study of art, music and literature and is currently writing a book on the Russian Avant-Gards and European Modernism.

Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) is the most famous painter of the Italian Renaissance.  What is less well-known however is the extraordinary philosophy that can be said to govern all of his work: that the task of the painter is not merely to replicate the appearance of things in his paintings but rather to recreate the forms that nature creates in the world.

This lecture aims to put Leonardo's artistic production in context by explaining how his paintings, drawings and scientific experiments are all governed by a quest to discover the underlying principles that he believes govern all forms.  It demonstrates how all of Leonardo's art can be understood as a form of science, and how his approach to science was governed by his artistic concerns.

Caroline Brook is Associate Lecturer at Birkbeck School of Art History.  She is currently completing a PhD on Venetian painting and lectures regularly at the National Gallery, Courtauld Institute, Carlton Club and the Academia Italiana.

Like its name, the Roaring Twenties was a loud and boisterous decade marked by novelty, modernity and huge social, technological and economic change.  Following the dark days of the Great War, it spawned a generation of wealthy and privileged Bright Young Things who were determined to shock and who broke with the conventions of the past to piursue a life of hedonism and promiscuity, fuelled by an endless round of champagne, cocaine, parties and jazz.

This lecture aims to conjure up the energy and originality of the decade and to explore the lives of its leading figures and examples of its most innovative art and design.

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

Making Space is a community-based craft organisation that creates opportunities for people to discover and develop design and making skills, increasing personal wellbeing through involvement in high-quality craft. We promote excellence in contemporary craft, design and visual arts.

This talk will provide a whistle-stop tour of the history of food as an artistic medium, starting with 16th century sugar sculpture and venturing all the way up to 3D dessert printing and beyond!

This exploration into the realms of dessert as spectacle includes an accompanying display to illustrate and enhance the historic subject.

The Strauss Family may have dominated musical life in 19th century Vienna, but other composers also wrote many beautiful waltzes and operettas.  We look at the golden age of Viennese music.

There is no name more evocative of Bohemian Life; of high spirits, decadence, poverty and revolutionary art in Paris than Montmartre, home to some of France’s greatest artists. Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec & Picasso would paint canvases that would  shake the very foundations of Western art. This lecture charts the course of the extraordinary artistic life in Montmartre.

The Lecturer:

Douglas Skeggs read Fine Art at Magdalene College Cambridge. A lecturer on paintings since 1980, he is also an author and maker of TV

Pubs and their signs are a fundamental part of our history and cultural heritage. In this colourful and entertaining lecture John shows some of the most interesting and distinctive signs before exploring the fascinating stories behind the origin of some of their peculiar names. Who could fail to be intrigued by ‘The Bucket of Blood’, the ‘Cow and Snuffers’ or even the ‘Eager Poet’ – and who on earth was ‘Blind Jack’? 

This lecture celebrates the 200th Anniversary of the births of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert who were first cousins and born just three months apart in 1819.  Their shared enthusiasm for art and music endured throughout the twenty-two years of their marriage and they demonstrated their love through the works of art and jewellery they gave each other for birthdays, Christmases and anniversaries.

Victoria and Albert understood and appreciated sculpture more than any of their predecessors since Charles I. They furnished and extended Buckingham Palace, made significant changes to Windsor Castle and commissioned three other royal residences, Balmoral, Sandringham and Osborne – the single most important example of their shared taste. Theirs was a partnership of patronage by a monarch and her consort which is unique in the history of the British monarchy.

This talk focuses on the family and influences upon Charles Darwin and Captain Robert FitzRoy, the commander of HMS Beagle, and their participation in the celebrated voyage of 1831-36 which enabled Darwin to collect vital evidence for his ground-breaking publication On the Origin of Species.

FitzRoy paid for two artists, Augustus Earle and Conrad Martens, to paint the people and places encountered, and these images underpin the series of sensational seafaring stories.

The Grand Tour was a largely eighteenth century phenomenon, akin to the Gap Year of today, which reached the height of popularity in the years between 1715 and 1789. Thereafter, Thomas Cook and the railways took the exclusivity out of Continental travel. In its heyday, scores of young men (and a sprinkling of enterprising women) were dispatched by parents and guardians, to acquire at least a veneer of culture. Some, at least, returned, armed with paintings and sculpture, determined to remodel their houses and estates into a semblance of the Italy that haunted their dreams. This lecture follows the progress of a Grand Tourist through Europe, largely through contemporary paintings, gives examples of some of the souvenirs they returned with and tells of some of the difficulties facing the intrepid traveller in the pre-railway age. 

James Bolton, a Garden Designer since 1992, has lectured for The Arts Society since 1995. He is Organiser of The Arts Society's garden study days and tours in UK and Europe and organises tours to the best private gardens in the UK, Italy, France and South Africa. His book 'Garden Mania' on garden ornaments, was published in 2000.

Widely known for his appearances dressed as his feminine alter ego, Claire, Grayson Perry RA is now a core part of the art establishment. Ten years after winning the Turner Prize he gave the brilliant BBC Reith Lecture in 2013. His works of ceramics, textiles, tapestries and prints are highly sought after. Often controversial, he is able to tackle difficult subjects in a poignant yet witty way.
This talk will examine Grayson Perry’s works, his exciting and thought provoking exhibitions, and we’ll look at the character inside the flamboyant frocks.

Ian Swankie is a Londoner with a passion for art and architecture. He is an official guide at Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Guildhall Art Gallery and St Paul's Cathedral, and an active freelance London guide.

Who collects antiques?  What should they collect?
 

Ron Hasker is book-keeper, chairman and heritage director of the Kings Theatre Trust. Ron works full-time for the trust, helping to run the historic Kings Theatre in Southsea.

 

Celebrated British designer Thomas Heatherwick's approach blends architecture, sculpture and engineering to produce elegant results, from large urban spaces to individual items such as his zip bag for Longchamp. His work received worldwide coverage in 2012 when, with his studio team, he designed the Olympic Cauldron at the London Olympics. His studio has also designed the new Routemaster bus. His approach is in demand all over the world, and the lecture will highlight the broad range of his designs.

Anthea Streeter studied fine and decorative arts in London and Harvard, where she developed an interest in 20th century design and architecture. She has taught on courses in Oxford and London.

One of the most derided towns in England, renowned for its dullness, Basingstoke is distinguished only by its numerous roundabouts and absurd Modernist architecture. Rupert explains that the post-war planners, who inflicted such features as ‘the Great Wall of Basingstoke’ on the town, were politically-motivated and bent on destroying all traces of its past. He reveals the nobler Basingstoke that is buried beneath the concrete, and the few historic gems that have survived the holocaust. Hilariously told, it is a story that neatly illustrates the ugliest episode in England’s architectural history. As Betjeman wrote prophetically, ‘What goes for Basingstoke goes for most English towns’.

Rupert Willoughby is a prize-winning historian, a Classicist, a lecturer on the national circuit, a poet, a father and a wild swimmer with a passion for castles, lakes and uncovering the layers of the past.

This lecture explains why Stonehenge must be regarded as architectural in its layout and construction, embodying techniques that for centuries convinced antiquarians that it could not have been built by ‘primitive’ ancient Britons but must be a product of ‘sophisticated’ Romans.

We then explore how, over the past two centuries, this iconic structure has inspired painters, potters and poets. Blake, Turner, Constable and Moore are among those who have all been drawn to this magnificent ruin, resulting in a diverse catalogue of images and impressions. Finally, we will look at Stonehenge as a global icon and how its instantly recognisable stones now grace tea towels in Wiltshire, phone cards in Japan and stamps from Bhutan.

Mr Julian Richards

Studied archaeology at Reading University and has since worked as a professional archaeologist, in commercial archaeology, for English Heritage, for the BBC and as an independent. 

The Late Roman era was a period of crisis riven by civil wars and barbarian invasions (Rome was sacked in 410 by Alaric the Goth). As a consequence of the break-down of society, valuables were often buried for safe-keeping – the owners of which often failed to return to claim them.

This lecture will examine a fabulous selection of silver vessels from these enigmatic and mysterious silver treasure troves (still being discovered and unearthed today). Marvel at the beauty and rarity of these magnificent objects within the context of their classical heritage and the lives of the people who once owned them.

Helen Rufus Ward is an Art Historian with a BA, MA and a doctorate (DPhil) from the University of Sussex who has published on Late Antique and Byzantine ivory carvings and 19th century plaster cast collecting.

There’s more to the world of street art than Banksy. Hidden Canvases is a beginner’s guide to the biggest art movement since pop art. From train writing in New York to interactive technology that brings murals to life, the concept of un-commissioned public art is a very different beast to that which it once was. Hidden Canvases explores the key stages in street art’s growth examining the different elements and styles that comprise the scene with no rules. From the international superstars to the local underground heroes you’re guaranteed to leave knowing your Invader from you Aryz and – who knows – you might even start looking at the world a little differently.

A light-hearted look at Christmas cheer through the work of the popular 20th century American illustrator.

Philip Jackson is a renowned sculptor with an outstanding international reputation.

His ability to convey the human condition through skilful use of body language is legendary, producing figures both imposing and operatic in their narrative and presence, which are recognizable worldwide. Powerful and beautifully sculpted, Jackson's meticulously precise posturing of each piece creates an overwhelming sense of drama. Whether with the prestigious, figuratively detailed public monuments and statues for which he is often commissioned, or his hauntingly elegant and theatrically enigmatic gallery sculptures, Philip Jackson's work is truly awe inspiring - it never fails to move people.

Born in Inverness, Jackson now lives and works in West Sussex. He was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in the Queen's Birthday Honours list 2009.

Picture - St Richard, Chichester Cathedral

Standing in its 12,000-acre estate, against the backdrop of the Sussex Downs, Goodwood has been owned by the Dukes of Richmond since 1697. Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond (1672-1723), the illegitimate son of Charles II and his French mistress Louise de Kérouaille, first stayed in what was at that time a modest Jacobean lodge, for fox-hunting in the nearby village of Charlton, the most fashionable hunt of its day.

Successive dukes gradually added to the house and the estate during the 18th and 19th centuries, creating today’s grand stately country home, which is filled with interesting art, treasures and trinkets, accumulated over the eras it has remained in the family. The chief collectors were the 2nd (1701-1750) and 3rd (1735-1806) Dukes, who were inspired by their respective Grand Tours. Both also nurtured a passion for the natural world — the 2nd Duke kept a menagerie of exotic animals in the grounds, including tigers, bears and a lioness, and introduced many non-native tree species to the grounds of the estate.

James Peill is the curator responsible for Goodwood's collection of art and furnishings.

This lecture tells the story of a major figurative art commission that I painted for the city of Cosenza, Southern Italy, where I stayed for two months in 2015, painting five pictures telling the story of the Normans in Southern Italy. After outlining the reasons for the commission, I describe the paintings I executed, the process of designing and painting them, and the historical background to the scenes, and the characters that featured. I also talk about the other artists I worked with; the Calabrian way of doing things; and the difficulties – including the theft of a painting – that had to be overcome to complete the project.

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

In recent years, the concept of 'plant blindness' has been coined to identify our tendency to overlook plants.  Yet, plants are the dominant aspect of the natural world around us, yet few of us notice London Plane trees on our way to work.  Conversly, we often talk of our own cultural identities in terms framed by language referring to plants - thus the 'English' oak is a symbol of national endurance and steadfastness.  Or we use motifs based on plants such as Acanthus to decorate our public spaces or Convolvulus​ to embrace a picture in a frame.  The plants we place around us denote our emotional state of being, white lilies for mourning or laurel for celebrations of victory.  We are plants.

Mark Spencer is a consultant forensic botanist and public speaker.

​This lecture replaces the one on our printed programme due to the sad death of Eric Shanes.

Years of working as an artist within the Criminal Justice System in England and Germany have given Angela unique insights into the destructive and costly cycle of crime, prisons and re-offending. In this thought-provoking talk she offers a deeper understanding of the minds, lives and challenges of offenders. And, with extraordinary slides of art projects and prisoner’s art, she demonstrates how within the process of creating art of any discipline, there are vital opportunities for offenders to confront their crimes and develop the key life skills so essential in leading a positive and productive life.

A frequent response to this talk has been “I had no idea!” and indeed it casts light onto areas of our society where the Arts are not only visual, decorative, or commercial, but absolutely vital, hugely relevant and potentially life-changing.

This talk is moving, informative and very original. Interspersed with personal accounts of humourous or slightly horrifying situations, Angela has kept audiences across the country engrossed.

Virginia Woolf never painted or drew but her closeness to her sister Vanessa Bell, the artist ("Do you think we have the same pair of eyes, only different spectacles?") and to Roger Fry and others would stimulate her passionate curiosity.  In letters to him and to the French artist Jaques Raverat she tries to compare writing to painting.  Perhaps, in a way, we can think of Woolf's writings as a bridge between the worlds of French Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, and the literary Anglo-Saxon world.

A look at the astonishing flowering (quite literally in some cases!) of this highly decorative style that flourished briefly around 1900, particularly in Belgium and France.

Ian Gledhill has had a very varied career, from designing underground railways as an engineer for London Transport, to appearing in pantomime with Julian Clary.  In between he has worked in travel and tourism, music publishing, television and the theatre.  His main interests include architecture, history, transport and classical music, especially opera and operetta.

Some artists painted so exquisitely that it's hard to credit that their personal lives were a series of lascivious engagements, missed deadlines, accusations of fraud and exasperated patrons, but that is the case with the fifteenth century Carmelite monk, Fra Filippo Lippi.  His work still causes wonder 600 years after he was born.

After nearly 20 years in the British army, Imogen Corrigan obtained a degree in Anglo-Saxon and Medieval History and Art.  She works as a freelance lecturer across Britain and Europe as well as lecturing on small cruise ships and running study tours on land.

A tiny section of the Seine to the west of Paris has been termed the Cradle of Impressionism.  It was to 5 neighbouring riverside villages that the artists who would later become known as the Impressionists became frequent visitors.  The lives and early works of Monet, Renoir, Pisarro, Sisley and Morisot will be explored in this lively and entertaining lecture.

Carole Petipher is a guide and lecturer on combined history/art tours in France.  Life aboard river vessels on the Seine, Oise, Marne and Rhone offered her the chance to explore and further research certain riverside locations linked to art.

Historical fact and fiction behind the Three Wise Men and how the great artists have interpreted the Adoration of the Magi.

The Adoration of the Magi is one of the most popular religious subjects for the great artists and this lecture will follow their work over five centuries starting in 12th century Pisa.

James Gillray may well be the greatest political cartoonist who ever lived. He did not invent the art of caricature but in his hands it became a highly sophisticated and inventive aspect of the visual culture of his day. The breathtaking audacity and sheer rudeness of his work still has the power to make people laugh out loud and has ensured that his images retain a freshness and vivacity which present day satirists still revere. Through his work we can get a glimpse of the riotous society in which he lived and see how the larger than life public figures and political personalities of the times were viewed by this master of disrespect.

The traditional symbol of military might and fiscal power, an emblem of nature in all her gentleness and cruelty and sporting icon of impeccable breeding: the horse is a reflection of mankind's most positive views of itself. These themes will be discussed in the lecture through the medium of sculpture from pre history to the present day.

We warmly welcome Steffie Shields, one of the country's acknowledged experts in historic landscapes.  Writer, lecturer and photographer, her book titled 'Moving Heaven and Earth - Capability Brown's Gift of Landscape' will be published this summer.

Of exquisite design and unfailing ingenuity, the Easter eggs made by Faberge for the Russian Imperial family rank amongst the most extravagant and wonderful examples of the goldsmith's art.  Each year from the mid 1880s to 1917 different events or themes were commemorated in these eggs - from the opening of the Trans-Siberian railway to the icy beauty of a Russian winter; from the tercentenaryof the Romanov dynasty to the domestic pleasure of petit-point embroidery.  Faberge drew on the most skilled designers and craftsmen and worked with an astoundingly wide range of materials.  This lecture will be a celebration of these great works and the techinques by which they were created, and will also give a glimpse of his more modest Easter gifts and the wider context of how Easter was celebrated in Orthodox Russia.

Those who attended Peter's wonderful study day on Paintings inspired by Music and Music inspired by Paintings will be looking forward to his talk on the Effect of the Napoleonic Wars on German culture.  His lecture will be illustrated with pictures and musical examples on a keyboard and should not be missed!

The lecture focuses on the development and glories of Moorish art and architecture in Andalus - Andalucia - from the Arab invasion of the Iberian peninsula in 712 to the expulsion of Muslims from Christian Spain in 1493.  It will also look at similar developments in North Africa.  It includes an overview of ceramics, ivories, metalwork and textiles, all influential in European medieval and decorative arts.

From 15th century peasants drying their clothes, through to 17th century Frost Fairs on the Thames, to 19th century skaters in the Bois de Boilogne, this lecture will trace how artists have responded to the challenges of winter.  Over 500 years of artistic shivering!

Born into a French family, courtier, diplomat, artist, engraver, classical scholar and man of taste, Vivant Denant survived the French Revolution by courage, wit and charm.  He joined Napoleon's Expedition to Egypt and by publishing his account of it affected the taste of Europe.  Moreover, as Napoleon's chosen art expert, Denant conceived and commissioned much of the art which created the Napoleon style and myth which is still influential today.  This lecture looks at his remarkable life and at the images he so successfully created.

‘Travellers Among Mountains and Streams’, is based on  an 11th century work by the great Northern Song master, Fan Kuan, its key elements, mountains and water, or ‘shan sui’, represent the essence of all Chinese landscape painting.

Edward Barnsley CBE (1900-1987) was one of the most important British furniture makers of the twentieth century. He developed the Arts and Crafts traditions established in the Cotswolds by his father Sidney in the late nineteenth century. Edward created over seven thousand pieces of well-made furniture that he hoped would be pleasing to the eye and ‘give real joy in use.’ The Workshop is now managed by James Ryan, who started out as a Barnsley apprentice. James designs all the furniture.

"Art Deco

The style that defined the Jazz era and the golden age of pre-war Hollywood musicals.  Art Deco built a thousand cinemas (and the Hoover factory) and is still influential today."

In Georgian England, women's pockets were capacious, tied round their waists and hidden from view.  Everyone knows that Lucy Locket lost her pocket, but these otherwise forgotten objects repay serious study, as a minor decorative art form in their own right and an uniquely intimate history of the period. 

Barbara's talk explores how pockets were made and decorated, what women of all classes stored in them and what this tells us of everyday life and women's experience of work, mobility, privacy, love, leisure and dress.

This 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.

Roger Rosewell is a professional writer, lecturer and photographer. He has published books on Medieval wall paintings, Stained glass and Medieval monasteries.

 The Old Vic Theatre is the third oldest theatre in London and the oldest on the South Bank of the Thames.  Opening in 1818 it has seen almost every kind of performance from 'blood and thunder' melodrama via temperance sermons to world-renowned ballet performances and great Shakespearean productions.

Frances Hughes' talk illustrated throughout by playbills, engravings, paintings and photographs brings an unique theatre alive.
 

Tracey Sheppard teaches glass engraving at Edward James Foundation, West Dean College and in local Adult Education. Commissions include pieces for : Ampleforth College, BBC, Chelsea Physic Garden, Civil Aviation Authority, Eton College, Hampshire County Council, Hilliers, Winchester College, The Dean and Chapter of Winchester Cathedral, The World Meteorolgical Organisation, The Royal Horticultural Society.

Diana LLoyd is a freelance lecturer in ceramic, glass and the history of interior decoration. She lectures at the Inchbald School of Design and guides groups through museum collections and country houses.

18thC Meissen was producing outstanding porcelain in both Oriental and Rococo styles influencing both Sevres and Chelsea by the 1740s.  A decade later Sevres had taken over as the most influential European factory and in its final 10 years these designs were being  taken up by Chelsea.  This lecture follows how Meissen and Sevres influenced both Chelsea and Derby up to the last years of 18thC."
 

The theme of Christmas, taking us from the annunciation to the Adoration of the Shepherds and of the three kings, has inspired some of the greatest and most moving works of arts.

Only Matthew and Luke  describe the birth of Christ and they give very few details. Over the centuries this limited information has been expanded into a rich blend of legend and fact.  This lecture will explain how the three wise men became kings, the symbolism of their gifts,  why the stable is always in ruins and much, much more!
 

Valerie Woodgate is a lecturer and guide in Tate Britain and Tate Modern and for Tate on cruises. She is on the teaching team at Dulwich Picture Gallery and is a script-writer for Living Paintings Trust (art for the blind and partially-sighted).

Pierhead painting forms a distinct genre of popular, or folk, art. The earliest examples appear in the 18th century though most date from the late 19th and early 20th century. They are mostly simple portraits of merchant ships and fishing vessels. Pierhead artists are often described as naïve but this does not account for the skill of some of these artists. Neither does it allow for the accurate and often quite meticulous attention to detail.

Julia Korner is an art historian and conservator. She has published articles on maritime ship portraiture and the Pier-head painters.

"The garden seat has many roles in the historic garden: as eye catcher, viewpoint, resting place and most importantly, decorative object in its own right. Some of them are reasonably comfortable, too! Suggestions for background reading: John Davis: Antique Garden Ornament: Antique Collectors Club 1991 Alistair Morris: Antiques from the Garden: Woodbridge Garden Art Press 1996 Roy Strong: The Artist and the Garden: Yale University Press"

Steven Desmond is an independent consultant specialising in historic gardens and architecture. He is a writer and broadcaster and freelance lecturer.

Mrs Mabbutt is a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Painter-Stainers and a freeman of the City of London. She is a decorative artist who combines lace with gilding, printing and painting.

Mrs Rumbelow has an honours degree in both English and music. Her main career was in teaching and her speciality is the inter-relationship of the arts, especially painting, music and literature.

The Rt. Revd. Christopher Herbert was until recently Bishop of St Albans and a member of the House of Lords. He has lectured at the National Gallery, the Courtauld Institute, King's College, London, Westminster Abbey and the University of Rikkyo in Japan.

Mr Gabszewicz has been recognised as an international specialist in English and European Ceramics for over 40 years. He is a former Director and Head of European Ceramics at Christie's, London.

Ms Schofield was Curator of Greek, Bronze Age and Geometric Antiquities in the British Museum for thirteen years. She now works on international archaeological projects, principally in Turkey and Albania.

Christopher Bradley is an expert in the history and culture of the Middle East and North Africa.

Dr. de Hamel was responsible for all catalogues and sales of illuminated manuscripts at Sotheby's for 25 years until 2000. He is one of the best-known experts on medieval manuscripts and has given public lectures around the world.

Aliki Braine is a regular freelance lecturer for the National Gallery, Serpentine Gallery, Tate Galleries, Courtauld Gallery and Wallace Gallery. She also regularly exhibits her photographic work internationally.

Mr Beresiner has lectured extensively. He is a qualified City of London guide and a past master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards.

Laura is a Doctor in Humanities and has a postgraduate diploma in Landscape Architecture. She is a chartered landscape and garden architect, international lecturer and writer on landscape issues.

Philippa is a freelance lecturer in the fine and decorative arts for NADFAS, V&A,etc, specialising in English architecture, interiors and furniture from the 16th to the early 19th centuries.

Brian has been a dealer and consultant in antique oriental rugs and carpets since 1979 after his return from Iran. He is the author of 'Tribal rugs - Treasures of the Black Tent' which was originally published in 1997 and was re-printed in April 2010.

Michael O'Brien is Emeritus consultant physician, Guys and St Thomas' Hospital. He holds qualifications from the University of London and the Royal Colleges.

Dr Susan Kay-Williams is Chief Executive of the Royal School of Needlework and a Fellow of the RSA and the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

Douglas Skeggs is a writer, artist and TV presenter. He is the lecturer to many London art courses. He is the Director of the New Academy of Arts and the author of 6 novels.

How does the modern viewer recognise and interpret the hidden stories told through signs, symbols iconography in paintings when visiting art galleries. Were paintings merely illustrations of the text, and if so which texts, or did they carry some deeper meaning? How did artists such as Botticelli, Pinturicchio, Titian and Tintoretto approach these subjects? Why were these subjects so popular? In order to unravel the hidden iconographical content of paintings that may reveal how audiences might have seen these works produced during the Italian Renaissance rather than how we now see them, the modern viewer needs to reacquaint themselves with what was common knowledge during the Renaissance - the knowledge of religious and mythological signs and symbols. Most often these stories originated from antique literary sources, which had survived through the middle ages and were the preserve of the wealthy and cultured élite. This lecture aims to reveal the hidden language of stories in these paintings and equip the modern viewer with an antique language and a new way to look at paintings through signs, symbols iconography.

Sarah Searight has lived, worked and travelled for many years all over the Middle East, Central Asia and the Indian sub-continent and is the author of several books on the area.

Jill studied at the University of Portsmouth gaining a first class honours degree in Illustration. She is now concentrating on making art for exhibitions, freelance illustrations and designs aimed at the contemporary interior space. She has held workshops at the University and also offers a complete workshop package to schools and colleges.

Eveline Eaton was born in Berlin, Germany where she did her Abitur (A-levels) and studied economics. As a copywriter for advertising agencies, she worked in Germany and the USA. Since the 1980s, she is a free-lance lecturer for Surrey University, the Art Fund and for NADFAS. She has lectured all over the UK, Europe, USA and Australia. She frequently guides art-trips to Berlin/Dresden, Munich and Bavaria, the Cote d’Azur, Normandy and New York.

Bertie Pearce is a Member of The Inner Magic Circle with Gold Star He has performed all over the world in weird and wonderful places including: The Magic Castle in Hollywood; The Kulm Hotel in St Moritz and The Bertie and Boo Cafe in Balham,London. His ‘Soiree Fantastique’ Show at The Magic Circle in 1999 was a sell out and in 2003 he put on “All Aboard – The Comedy of Cruising” at The Bridewell Theatre in London which sold out for 11 nights. In 2008 he performed with his sister Boo in ‘A Spoonful of Magic’ at The Polka Theatre in Wimbledon and this was followed by Bertie and Boo’s “Wonders of The World’ Show which played at the Brighton Festival Fringe. He is widely sought after for close up magic and cabarets for private parties and fundraisers. In 2003 he was awarded the Carlton Comedy Award by the Magic Circle and twice won the award for Originality from The International Brotherhood of Magicians which won’t surprise anyone who has seen his act.

Paula Nuttall is an art historian specialising in the renaissance, with a particular interest in artistic relations between Italy and Northern Europe. She obtained her Ph.D from the Courtauld Institute of Art, London and was formerly a lecturer in art history at the British Institute of Florence. She is Director of the Medieval and Renaissance Year Course at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London and has taught at a number of British universities including Cambridge and the Courtauld Institute. She was a member of the Scientific Committee for the exhibition Florence and the Low Countries: from Van Eyck to Raphael at the Pitti Palace, Florence in 2008 and is currently collaborating with the Huntington Art Collection, San Marino, CA on a similarly themed exhibition for 2013. She is the author of From Flanders to Florence: the Impact of Netherlandish Painting, 1400-1500 (Yale University Press, 2004).