Juliet studied History of Art at London University and then for 30 years lived in France, where she became a lecturer on art and architecture and gained a Master's degree in English Literature. She has devised and led art study tours and written many books. Now having moved back to England, she continues to write and host informal art history classes. Her most recent book is “Van Gogh: a Life in Places”. 

Childhood has been portrayed in many different ways – from the sentimental to the disturbing. The child’s world belongs to a short period of time that, once over, becomes distorted in memory. So how do we view our own children’s childhood? This lecture reveals answers through examples from many famous and less well-known artists over the centuries - an interesting subject to round off the current series of lectures. 

Denise is an art historian, author, lecturer, photographer and journalist. She worked in Cambodia in the 1990s and has been a scholar of Southeast Asian art ever since. She has written several books, lectures to various institutions, including the V&A and the British Museum, has led cultural tours of SE Asia and lectures on cruise ships.

The full title of this lecture is “Sir Stamford Raffles: Art Collector and Discoverer of Singapore”. His name is now synonymous with a luxury hotel, but he was in fact the enlightened administrator of Java, Indonesia. In 1804 he acquired amazing artefacts, which are now in the British Museum. He also founded Singapore, which rapidly became the most important trading port in the East. This lecture tells the story of Raffles as a scholar and polymath and looks at the objects he collected.  

Harry is a cartoonist, comedy writer and performer, based in Brighton. His cartoons have appeared in many publications and for 25 years he provided the Guardian with a weekly strip cartoon entitled “Clare in the Community”, which later became a hilarious comedy on BBC Radio 4. Among many achievements, he is the winner of a Sony Award for comedy and is a former Strip Cartoonist of the Year. He can’t draw hands or horses. 

In this lecture Harry will trace the history of cartoonists who have made an impact on history and, most importantly, on him. These include James Gillray, Charles Schulz, Posy Simmonds and Ronald Searle. Harry will also be drawing live, and we will discover exactly what the Eskimo brothers said in the Funniest Joke Ever (possibly) .

Please note that this meeting will start at 2.00pm to allow time for a short AGM before the lecture.  Click for Agenda.

Gavin lectured to us in 2020 on the gripping subject of Weimar Germany. He is a cultural historian, specialising in Central European art. He appears on BBC Radio 3, both as a guest and a presenter, and on BBC Radio 4. He lectures widely and has given talks for many institutions, including the V&A and the Tate, as well as leading cultural tours. 

This lecture is sub-titled “The Birth of Expressionism”. When Edvard Munch created “The Scream” in 1893, he was responding to an intense emotional experience – today we would call it a panic attack. It gave birth to a movement known as Expressionism, showing life not as it is (Realism) or as it might be perceived in a fleeting moment (Impressionism), but as it is experienced in the core of our being. This talk will embrace Munch, as well as artists and thinkers such as Kandinsky, Nietzsche and Freud. 

Members will recall that Rosamund lectured to us in 2023 on the first part of this fascinating subject. Rosamund is a writer, lecturer and translator, whose work ranges across the arts. She completed her doctorate at Oxford and is the author of several books, including biographies of Chekhov and Tolstoy. Her lecturing has taken her from the V&A and the National Gallery to the Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney. 

Rosamund’s previous lecture took us up to the beginning of the 20th century. This lecture will cover a relatively short period of time, but one packed with dramatic events – the disastrous war with Japan, the Great War and continuous violent unrest, ending with the Revolution. This is a vast subject and later events, such as Socialist Realism and Stalinism, will probably have to wait for a third lecture.

Please note that members are invited to bring guests to this meeting

FREE OF CHARGE 

David was drawn to abstract sculpture when, aged 10, he saw a Barbara Hepworth in a school history book. He graduated from Oxford University in 1984 with a degree in Philosophy and Theology, and then studied fine art. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Sculptors and was vice-president in 2010-13. He has carried out numerous commissions and took part in exhibitions at Colyer Bristow Gallery and contemporary sculpture at Fulmer in 2018.

Rodin is one of the heroic figures of 19th century art history and was internationally celebrated in his lifeme. He is seen as having, in one career, taken sculpture on a revolutionary path, equivalent to what the Realists, the Impressionists and the Post-Impressionists did with many careers. This lecture looks at his work in relationship to 19th century sculpture, as well as assessing his contemporary relevance. 

James studied history at Pembroke College, Cambridge, and then did a lengthy stint selling contemporary paintings and sculpture in Sante Fe, New Mexico, an experience which inspired him to begin writing and lecturing on 20th Century art. Of his dozen or so books, one was a Sunday Times Book of the Year. He has curated major exhibitions at Dulwich Picture Gallery and for museums around the country. 

Eric Ravilious was only 39 when he died on active service as a war artist in 1942, yet he had already achieved amazing things. He was a brilliant wood engraver and designer and is probably best known today for his haunting watercolours, in which lighthouses, white horses, empty rooms and downland paths become marvels. This talk will illuminate the life and work of a playful and enigmatic artist.   

Chris is another regular speaker whom we welcome back, and last Christmas he spoke to us on the Magi. He is a professional tour guide and lecturer and has led groups throughout the Middle East and Asia and lectured extensively in Australia. He is the author of several guide books, including one on the Silk Road. He is a film producer and cameraman and has made documentaries for the BBC, National Geographic TV and Channel 4.  

Nicholas was the Greek Bishop of Myra, a 4th century port in Anatolia. Following his death, his legendary generosity established him as the principal gift-bearing saint, as well as the patron saint of seafarers and children. Eventually the Dutch re-created him and took him to America, where he became Santa Claus and figured in advertising campaigns – notably for Coca-Cola. Eventually he arrived in Britain, where he became Father Christmas.

Jane has lectured to us before, and members will recall her fascinating talk on the History of Pantomime. She is the Special Events Organiser at the Theatre Royal, Bath, and a West Country Tourist Board Registered Blue Badge Guide/Lecturer. She has acted as a consultant on period food on various TV productions, and cooks and hosts period meals in her Regency period house in Bath.

Dickens and Christmas – the two words are inextricably interlinked in the minds of most people. In fact, he more or less invented Christmas as we know it today. In his lifetime he was often referred to as “Jolly Old Christmas”, because of his highly popular short stories especially written for the festive season. He was the first novelist to use the expression “Merry Christmas” - something that has definitely stuck !

Nicholas is a graduate of Selwyn College, Cambridge, and trained for the Anglican Ministry at Ripon Hall, Oxford. Inspired by a period working on the staff of Coventry Cathedral, he has gained a wide experience of international matters. He has a particular interest in the period of the English Reformation. He lectures regularly and assists as a priest in London. 

It is possible to read the passage of time, movements, cultures and peoples in the architecture and art forms evident in many of our English country churches. This lecture is a fascinating overview from the pre-Christian era to the present day. Hopefully, Nicholas may be able to touch upon some of our own beautiful Dorset churches. 

Barbara is another returnee. Members will recall her stimulating lecture on the Vikings. She is a historian and lecturer, an examiner and course director on Blue Badge Guide training courses and has conducted tours throughout the British Isles. She is a recognised expert on Royalty and is the only Blue Badge guide accredited to guide visits to the Albert Memorial.

The Great Fire of 1666, which came only months after the Great Plague, devastated most of the City of London. 13,500 houses, 87 churches and 44 livery halls, as well as many public buildings, were destroyed in four days. This lecture examines the devastation wrought by the fire, looks at the inspirational plans put forward for the rebuilding of the City and explains how the reconstruction, which followed, changed the face of London. A dramatic story, which will round off the current season of lectures.

Clare has an honours degree in History of Art, Birkbeck College, University of London. Her regular commitments include the Centre for Lifelong Learning, London University, the National Gallery, the V&A, Morley College, the City Literary Institute, the Art Fund and the National Trust. She also organises study tours abroad. Fortunately, she has found a slot for us in her busy schedule.

One can confidently say that there can be very few who have not heard of this iconic painter and who are not familiar with some of his popular works, such as the Sandham Memorial Chapel and the Biblical scenes set in the village of Cookham, where he was born and spent much of his life. He was born in 1891, attended the Slade School of Art, served during the Great War and was invalided out due to severe malaria. He achieved considerable fame, was knighted and died at the relatively early age of sixty eight. An interesting and sometimes controversial figure.

John needs no introduction, as he has spoken to us on many occasions. In fact he thinks he may have lectured to  us more than any other TAS society. He was formerly a  lecturer at Bath University and has worked extensively overseas, including lecture tours of Australia and New Zealand. He has numerous interests, including Norman Rockwell (the subject of his last lecture ) and of course this topic.

This ever popular book is full of wonderful imagery that always demands to be illustrated, but when first published in 1908 it had no illustrations – difficult to imagine. Since then it has been illustrated by more than ninety illustrators, making it the most widely illustrated book in the English language. This lecture will, where appropriate, compare and contrast the same scene in the  book though the eyes of different artists – a study known as “Comparative Illustration “                             

Please note that this meeting will start at 2.00pm to allow time for a short AGM before the lecture

Ian is an art historian with a BA and MA in Medieval Spanish art history. He is a specialist in nearly 800 years of Moorish occupation and Christian reconquest of Medieval Iberia. He is the founder and director of an Arts Tour Company, lectures in London at institutions such as the V&A and SOAS and has extensive public speaking experience.

This lecture is sub-titled “The Walls that speak”. The beauty of the Alhambra of Granada, built in the 13th and 14th centuries, speaks for itself – or does it? Many visitors, while stunned by the exquisite architecture, are unaware that the walls, covered in Kufic script, are talking directly to them. This lecture begins with an overview of the structure of the monument and explains the hidden meanings of the tiles and plasterwork.

 Note: This lecture is on a Tuesday

Peter has been to us before and previously lectured to us on Vivaldi. We know we can expect another entertaining lecture. He is a musician and scholar, who gives illustrated lectures on music and the Arts. He studied singing and keyboard instruments at the Royal College of Music and at the Mozarteum in Salzburg.

Although upwards of a hundred pleasure gardens are known to have thrived in 18th Century London, it was Vauxhall with its walks, triumphal arches, statues and reputation for scandal that became the firm favourite with Londoners and visitors alike. For the price of a shilling, patrons could stroll through the groves accompanied by the sounds of nature or, if they wished, could dine to the popular melodies of the day, played by the famous orchestra. Peter will give a vivid impression of life at London’s first “South Bank”

Please note that members are invited to bring guests to this meeting

FREE OF CHARGE

Imogen has lectured  to us before and members will remember that she has had an interesting career, having spent nearly 20 years in the Army, retiring with the rank of Major. She then studied Anglo-Saxon and Medieval History at the University of Kent. She works as a freelance lecturer and runs study tours and courses. She is a Freeman of the City of London, being a Member of the Company of Communicators.

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). This lecture deals with the structure of formal banquets and how young gentlemen and ladies were expected to behave.

Our members will instantly recognise Marc from his appearances on The Antiques Road Show, where he has been a miscellaneous specialist since 1998. He regularly writes for magazines and has authored or contributed to over sixteen books on antiques and collecting. His unique style and passion stem from an auctioneering background with eclectic  personal  interests  ranging  from pre-history to modern design.

The sub-title of this lecture is “ Brave New World “. The festival was an inspiring event, designed to put Britain back on its feet after the ravages of the Second World War. Marc looks at its legacy, and the effect on post-war Britain, through the development of design architecture and art. His lecture will no doubt revive some childhood memories, including those of your programme secretary.  

Chris is another regular speaker, whom we welcome back. He is a professional tour guide and lecturer and has led groups throughout the Middle East and Asia. He is the author of several guide books including one on the Silk Road. He is a film producer and cameraman and has made documentaries for the BBC, National Geographic TV and Channel 4.

The term Magi refers to Zoroastrian priest-sages, anonymous wise men who were specialists in medicine, religion and astronomy, and who travelled from the East. Tradition has placed the number of Magi at three, relating to gold, frankincense and myrrh, but earlier versions have the number at as many as thirty. Chris’ lecture will consider the accuracy of the depictions of  Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar. Definitely a Christmassy lecture.

 To avoid clashing with Christmas and other events at the venue, this talk is on a Tuesday and on an earlier date than usual

Patrick is Vicar Choral at St. Paul’s Cathedral. For 20 years he combined this with an international career singing with the world-renowned early music consort the Tallis Scholars. He also sings with the award-winning group the Cardinall’s Musick. He is a Cambridge history graduate with a lifelong interest in the Arts and has led  choral workshops for amateur singers across the world.

1685 was an extraordinary year for music. Two of the world’s greatest composers were born 150km and just one month apart. Much of their childhood development mirrored the other – including the tragedy of losing their fathers at the age of 10. Their careers took them in very different directions and they never met, despite several near misses. Patrick will reunite these two giants and track their lives over 6 decades.

Timothy previously spoke to us in January 2023. He read biology at University College, Oxford and from 1988 to 2014 was director at the Oxford Botanic Gardens, during which time the Gardens won 4 gold medals at the Chelsea Flower Show. In 2010 he was elected a Fellow of the Linnaean Society in London and in the same year, on BBC4, he presented a 3-part series of films on the history of Botany. Since 2014 he has been a tutor in Plant Biology at Somerville College, Oxford.

Few English gardeners have gone to China to look for gardens, as opposed to plants. The Winston Churchill Travelling  Fellowship Scheme funded a 6-week trip to visit gardens and meet gardeners with a view to building bridges between English and Chinese horticulturists. In addition to examining gardens and gardening, this talk looks at some of the wider cultural aspects of a country full of contradictions and some wonderful food and welcoming people.

Members will recall Jonathan’s previous (musical) lecture on this subject and how he had developed his interest in this subject while at Reading University. He now has a collection of some 50 instruments and lectures on them as well as medieval paintings.  Sadly his life was altered in 2018 by a fire which destroyed virtually everything he owned except his collection.

As the title indicates, this is a follow on from Jonathan’s previous lecture on this subject. As before, he will describe the evolution of some more of his instruments and hopefully give a demonstration of how they are played and what they sound like. A nice ending to our current season of lectures.

Rachel studied history at Cambridge University, followed by obtaining an MA in Museum Studies at Leicester. From 1998  to 2021 she was a curator at the V&A and worked on major museum projects. She has researched and written widely about jewellery and her website explores stories behind jewellery and its history .

To understand jewellery we need to read its secret language. For example, medieval books interpreted gemstones – each had a meaning and power. In the romantic world, jewels could send secret messages of love, or mourning jewels display grief. Political jewels could send covert messages of party allegiance. Bring your jewels to this lecture – but nothing too valuable please!

Caroline has always been aware of her close family ties to Eric Gill – a fascinating but  very controversial figure. Her researches led her to his younger brother Max about whom she has previously lectured on to us. Her main profession is teaching English but she is also an accredited TAS lecturer and has given talks for such organisations as the National Archives and the National Trust.

Eric Gill is still a controversial character, but his work still touches us in many ways  - for example, his font is used for the Waitrose logo and the statue he created stands at the front of Broadcasting House, London. Among other things he issued a stream of pamphlets on subjects as diverse as sculpture and birth control. As his great-niece, Caroline will explore Eric’s formative years and the places and people who influenced him.

Please note that this meeting will start at 2.00pm to allow time for a short AGM before the lecture

Jane has an MA  in the History of Art  from the University of London. She trained at the V&A and continues to lecture there. She was senior lecturer at Sotheby’s Institute of Art for 17 years. Jane lectures for many institutions, including the National Trust, on cruise ships and at interior design conferences in America .

This lecture will describe the contribution of Josiah Wedgwood to the history of world ceramics. It deals with the development and marketing of his unique earthenware, the opening of the Etruria factory, the development of encaustic painting and the production of the famous Portland Vase. A truly vast and fascinating subject .

Julian read History of Art at Cambridge and later was senior lecturer and head of department at Croydon College.  He has produced numerous books and is the Interviews Artist for the Artist Magazine. He is a practising artist and was elected to the Royal Society of British Artists in 1994 and appointed Keeper in 2010.

John Singer Sargent’s life was full of movement. He was born in Italy, studied in Paris and painted portraits in London where he was an instant success. He was highly fashionable and produced amazing works in oils and watercolour, which captured the characters of his sitters. His versatility was demonstrated when he became a war artist on the outbreak of the Great War and produced powerful and moving works. This lecture will tell us more about a man, who was a great artist and also charming, musical and cosmopolitan.

Please note that members are invited to bring guests to this meeting

FREE OF CHARGE

Justin began his career in the Navy and later became CEO of a major healthcare firm. He then turned to the study of art and architecture. He became a lecturer and, as from 2011, has been a tutor in the history of art and classical civilisations at tutorial colleges in Oxford. He is a man of wide qualifications and interests, with a strong bent towards naval matters, and is currently involved in the preparation of a book about Pepys and the Navy.

Portraiture is a major genre in art which has been attempted by most artists at some point, but not always with success in producing a convincing likeness. Justin will present a lecture beginning with a discussion of the role of the sitter and considering portraits from the Roman Empire to the 21st century. This should prove a fascinating talk on a fascinating subject.

We have had the pleasure of hearing Patrick previously, on the subject of 18th Century painting. Patrick has followed a career as a teacher and subsequently as Keeper of Fine Art at the Royal Pavilion, Brighton, and then Director of the Martyn Gregory Gallery, London. He has several books to his name, including one on the subject of this lecture .

John Ruskin was a writer, philosopher, art critic and polymath, who produced numerous books on a vast  range of subjects. He was hugely influential during the Victorian era, despite one or two blips in his life -  for example, an unsuccessful marriage and a notorious law suit against him by James Whistler. He was a great champion of many contemporary artists, including William Turner and later painters, such as Millais, Holman Hunt and Rossetti, who formed the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.  This will be the subject of Patrick’s talk today.

Roger was a chorister at Wells Cathedral School and a choral scholar at Magdalen College, Oxford,  where he graduated with an honours degree in English. He combined a teaching career with professional singing in London. He later became director of music at Daniel Stewart’s and Melville College in Edinburgh and, after retiring in 2003, moved back to the South of England where he lectures on musical subjects

This lecture will examine how the peculiar geniuses of two very different men - W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan -  came together under the guiding hand of Richard D’Oyly Carte to create one of the most individual and enduring forms of theatrical entertainment – the Savoy Operas. The lecture is fully illustrated with musical examples and offers the opportunity for audience participation!

To avoid clashing with Christmas and other events at the venue,

this talk is on a Thursday and on an earlier date than usual

Members will remember Jane’s entertaining talk on the history of pantomime, and she will now be speaking on a different subject. She is the Special Events Organiser at the Theatre Royal, Bath, and a theatrical landlady. She has researched theatre programme notes, including ones on Hamlet, and acted as consultant on period food to various TV productions.

There can’t be anyone who has not heard  of Agatha Christie  - undoubtedly the world’s greatest crime writer. Her books sell over 4 million copies each year worldwide and are constantly adapted for film and TV. She led a sheltered and privileged life in her native Torquay, but her own life was not dissimilar to that in many of her books. Brought up in the comfort of upper middle class society, she too had mystery in her life – as Jane will tell us .

Felicity has an MA in Fine Art Valuation and a BA in History and Economics. She is an experienced cruise lecturer and lecturer to the National Trust, Rotary, yacht clubs, public school sixth forms and retirement groups such as U3A and Probus. She is a member of the Nelson Society and 1805 Club, was programme secretary of the Blackmore Vale TAS society for four years and was formerly a committee member of the Wimborne society.

Elizabeth Thompson, later known as Lady Butler, was a British painter of scenes from British military campaigns and battles, including the Napoleonic and Crimean wars. She wrote about her paintings in her autobiography published in 1922 stating “I never painted for the glory of war but to portray its pathos and heroism“. She gained her title when her husband William Butler (an army officer) was knighted.  She died in 1933.

Rosamund is a writer, lecturer and translator, whose work as a cultural historian ranges across the arts. She completed her doctorate at Oxford and is the author of several books, including biographies of Chekhov and Tolstoy. She has written on art, music and literature for publications such as the Daily Telegraph, and her lecturing work has taken her from the V&A and the National Gallery to the Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney.    

This lecture is an overview of Russian Art from priceless icons, produced by the Orthodox Church, to the works of the early twentieth-century avant-garde. It covers the most important achievements of the nation’s greatest painters, including Chagall and Kandinsky, and discusses the renaissance of Russian art on the eve of the 1917 Revolution. This is a truly vast subject.

Lydia was born in Poland and studied for her BA in Fine Arts at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and for her MA in History of Art at the Courtauld Institute, London. She has lectured to diverse audiences, notably at London’s National Gallery and the MFA Boston, USA. She has published a book on themes in art.

19th Century England saw the evolution of an essentially popular taste in art that the middle classes shared with Queen Victoria herself. This lecture will look at the ways it reflected an appetite for sensationalism, on the one hand, with a need for moral instruction on the other.

John is of course one of our regular and very popular speakers and members will no doubt recall his fascinating lecture on Norman Rockwell. John was  formerly a lecturer at the University of Bath where he was Director of Studies in the School of Education. He has worked extensively overseas and has undertaken lecture tours in Australia and New Zealand.

The sub-title to this lecture is Are you visually literate?.  John points out that, when we view an image, we make two assumptions: first, that what we see is what others see and second, that what we see is the way it is, or put another way “the truth“. Both these assumptions can clearly be shown to be wrong. John will demonstrate how easily we can be deceived by what we THINK we see. 

Please note that this meeting will start at 2.00pm

to allow time for a short AGM before the lecture

Members will recall Andrew’s fascinating and informative talk on the River Thames and we have been able to persuade him to visit us again. He is an extra-mural tutor, the author of several books, including The East End Nobody Knows  and a frequent contributor to radio and television, and has lectured all over the world. He is a  stimulating lecturer and we can look forward to an entertaining talk.

It’s all written down in his diary. There can’t be anyone who hasn’t heard of probably the most famous diarist in the world. Of course, he was more than just that. He was also a successful civil servant and a rather wayward husband, but we continue to enjoy his revealing accounts of the events of the turbulent times in which he lived, as well as his own personal life (the diaries were most certainly not written for the public to enjoy). Learn more from Andrew’s talk.

Douglas read Fine Art at Magdalene College, Cambridge and has been a lecturer on painting since 1980. He was Director of the New Academy of Art Studies for 3 years and is presently a regular lecturer both in the UK and abroad, and has taken tours around Europe. Douglas has written and presented TV documentaries, has presented one-man exhibitions of his own paintings, and published five novels.

This talk is sub-titled  The Gentle Art of Making Enemies. Self-assured, affected and irreverent, Whistler scandalised late-Victorian society. He was famous for his friendship and rivalry with Oscar Wilde (they later fell out) and for his court case against John Ruskin, in which he recovered one farthing damages, and which ruined him financially. This lecture examines the life and work of a flamboyant and eccentric man, who produced peaceful and meditative paintings.

Please note that members are invited to bring guests

to this meeting FREE OF CHARGE

Simon is a (recovering) actor, lecturer, presenter, Alexander technique and voice teacher and London Blue Badge Guide. He has worked as a guide lecturer at Shakespeare’s Globe, the Royal Opera House, the BBC and the National Gallery. He is on the faculty of Ithaca College and lectures on the Performing Arts and English Literature. His passions are theatre, literature, fashion and art history.

This talk focuses on The Importance of being Earnest – one of the most performed and frequently quoted plays in the English-speaking world. It reveals some of the hidden elements which the audience then (and perhaps now) were not aware of. We will discover that, for the author, this glittering triumph of the stage heralded the beginning of his own fatal final act.

From 1988 to 2014 Timothy was Director of the University of Oxford Botanic Gardens and, since 2014, he has been a college lecturer and tutor in Botany and Plant Conservation at Somerville College, Oxford.

The full title of Timothy’s lecture is The Subtle Science and Exact Art of Colour in English Garden Design – Why Gardening can rank as a Fine Art.  This probably tells us what we need to know about the subject of the lecture. He also comments that a garden is a place where science and art  meet on equal terms and his lectures often investigate this relationship.  This should be a talk that will intrigue gardeners and non- gardeners alike.

While studying at Reading University, Jonathan developed his interest in medieval musical instruments, especially the crumhorn and shawm. He began his collection of examples, which now numbers nearly 50.  He started giving informal talks on the subject and then began lecturing in earnest on instruments and medieval paintings. In 2018 his life was changed dramatically  by a fire, which destroyed virtually everything he possessed except, miraculously, his collection.

This talk/demonstration revolves around some of Jonathan’s musical instruments, during which he will describe their evolution and places in medieval life and will play on each instrument (perhaps including a crumhorn and shawm!). This promises to be an unusual and entertaining talk and a good run-up to Christmas.

To avoid clashing with Christmas and other events at the venue, this talk is on a Tuesday and on an earlier date than usual

Patrick taught at Marlborough College during 1970-71. During 1975-86 he was Keeper of Fine Arts at the Royal Pavilion Art Gallery and Museums, Brighton and, from 1986, Director of the Martyn Gregory Gallery, London. He is the author of several books on subjects as varied as John Ruskin and Oriental Architecture in the West.

During the 18th Century art flourished in Great Britain during a period of relative peace and prosperity, following the upheavals of the previous century, and many well-known (and some perhaps lesser-known) artists established their reputations. Patrick’s lecture will cover this fascinating  and influential period.

David has been a wine retailer, importer and distributor for 30 years. From 1993 he worked for a wine agency company called Walter Siegel and in 2016 he joined Delibo Wine agencies. He has publicly presented tastings and talks on wine to trade and private audiences. Since he began lecturing for TAS he has started a wine website for members  www.wine.theartssociety.org. Clearly  he is an expert on this fascinating subject.

Wine has been part of our global society for over 7,000 years and this talk tells of its origin and appearance in all societies across the Mediterranean and throughout Europe.  There is rich evidence of the role wine has played  in these societies and how it became an important component in faith, well-being and festivity. From ancient times to dining tables of high society, fine wine has been ever present.  David comments – “personally I consider wine an essential component to a contented life!”

Please note that this is a special 'one-off' summer lecture when members are invited to bring guests FREE OF CHARGE. 

Becasue of the funeral of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, this lecture has been postponed to a later date.

Lucia is an Egyptologist. She is an Honorary Research Associate at University College, London’s Institute of Archaeology and she lectures throughout the world.  She has worked at the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology in London and as an archaeological draughtsman on excavations in Egypt.  Her publications include “Egypt: Gods, Myths and Religions”.

In 2022 we celebrate the centenary of the greatest archaeological discovery – the excavation of Tutankhamun’s tomb by Howard Carter in 1922.  In her lecture Lucia explores this unusual tomb and its iconic treasures and examines its design and decorations. She discusses Carter’s discovery and what happened to the incredible wealth of funerary goods found in the tomb. Enjoy the art on the walls of this amazing structure and the fabulous treasures found there.

Tony is a leading authority on British popular entertainment forms – well known for his numerous BBC Radio and television programmes, as well as live performances at festivals and events throughout the country.  In 2017 he was awarded a doctorate by the University of Exeter for his research into itinerant British performance forms and has become a part-time lecturer in their drama department. He is well known throughout the country as “Uncle Tacko!” - the ringmaster of his extraordinary flea circus.

The pierrot originated as a stock male character in French pantomime with a sad, white-painted face, loose white costume and pointed hat. The figure moved to this country and formed troupes and soon there wasn’t a seaside resort of any size that didn’t boast a pierrot show offering musical entertainment. With the arrival of other forms of entertainment, their popularity waned and they disappeared – but not completely. Tony is the founder of “The Pierrotters” – Britain’s last professional seaside group. So who better to tell us about this riveting subject?

Caroline began research into her great-uncle in 2006. Since then she has curated several Macdonald “Max” Gill exhibitions around the country, contributed articles to publications and set up a dedicated website. She is an accredited lecturer for TAS and has given talks for such organisations as the National Archives and the National Trust.  Her acclaimed biography “Macdonald Gill: Charting a Life” was published in 2020.

Max Gill, the younger brother of sculptor Eric Gill, was an architect, lecturer and graphic artist of the first half of the 20th century and famed for his pictorial map posters for the London Underground and painted map panels for landmark buildings.  The alphabet and badges he designed for the standard military headstones are known to us all. This wonderfully illustrated talk by Max Gill’s great-niece gives fascinating insights into the life and work of this remarkable but little-known artist.                                                                                                                                         

THIS MEETING WILL START AT 2pm

TO ALLOW TIME FOR A SHORT AGM BEFORE THE LECTURE                                     

Kathy McLauchlan graduated from Oxford University and the Courtauld Institute. in 2001 she completed a PHD thesis on French painters in Rome during the 19th Century. She is a freelance lecturer specialising in 19th century art history. She has published catalogues and articles for the British Council and the Barbican Art Gallery. She is currently a course director for the V&A museum where she organises courses and study days on the history of art and design.

Most of us will be familiar with Hopper’s paintings even though we cannot always name the artist. His works are often dark and even disturbing as they depict the lives of lonely and lost people in the less salubrious parts of America.  Kathy will tell us more about this enigmatic painter and his work.

This is a last minute replacement for our previously advertised lecture

John was a director of Morgan Grenfell and a managing director of Deutsche Bank until his retirement in 2002.  He still continues to serve as an elected councillor in the City of London and he also serves on the Boards of the Museum of London, the Thames Festival and Gresham College.  With his wife, Claire, he runs Historystore which deals in antique documents and manufactures stationery for museums and shops.

The origin of Valentine’s Day can be traced back to Roman times and indeed to earlier pagan festivals, but it wasn’t until the Georgian era that the practice of sending Valentine stationery arose. John’s talk examines the imagery, from the cupid to the rose, and then considers the design and printing techniques. The practice of sending cards gradually declined but was revived in the 1920s when Rex Whistler designed Valentine telegrams for the Post Office.

Andrew is an extra-mural tutor for the universities of London, Essex and the Open University. He is the author of books including “The East End Nobody Knows”.  He is a frequent contributor to radio and television and has lectured all over the world. He organises walks to complement his lectures.

The River Thames needs no introduction. It is a river that has seen much history and is a symbol of our capital as well as a highway for people and merchandise. But it has also figured extensively in works of art and this is the subject of Andrew’s lecture – the River in Art.

Jane is currently the Special Events Organiser at the Theatre Royal, Bath, and a theatrical landlady!  She is a West Country Tourist Board Registered Blue Badge Guide/Lecturer and a researcher of theatre programme notes on many productions including Hamlet.  She has acted as consultant on period food to various TV productions, and hosts and cooks period meals in her Regency period house in Bath.

This talk examines the complex and fascinating story of how pantomime developed from its Greek and Roman roots through the religious plays of the Middle Ages to the Italian Commedia Dell’Arte. It looks at the characters of the Harlequinade and famous actors like Grimaldi. This lively and entertaining talk is illustrated with illustrations from Victorian prints and playbills to production shots of pantomime. It should get us into the Christmas spirit .

Please note that the date of this lecture has been changed to Thursday 16th December

Members will remember John as a regular speaker always guaranteed to provide us with an entertaining and informative talk. His most recent subject was the Shakers of North America. He was formerly a lecturer at the University of Bath where he was the Director of Studies in the School of Education. He has worked extensively overseas and has undertaken lecture tours in Australia and New Zealand. He has diverse interests including the subject of this lecture.

John subtitles this lecture “Great American artist or mere illustrator?”  Rockwell was a celebrated and prolific painter whose work has probably been seen by a larger audience than any other artist in history  and which still enjoys a broad popular appeal in North America and abroad  - especially for the cover illustrations of scenes of everyday life created for “The Saturday Evening Post”.  Rockwell has been referred to as “A storyteller with a brush”.

Eveline grew up in Berlin and later moved to England where she studied art history in London, first at the Study Centre for Fine and Decorative Arts and then at the Courtauld Institute where she received her BA Hons. degree. After a teaching spell at Surrey University, she became a full-time lecturer and has lectured all over the World.  From 2013 to 2019 she was the Chairman of the Dresden Trust, an organisation helping with the rebuilding of that cityEveline grew up in Berlin and later moved to England where she studied art history in London, first at the Study Centre for Fine and Decorative Arts and then at the Courtauld Institute where she received her BA Hons. degree. After a teaching spell at Surrey University, she became a full-time lecturer and has lectured all over the World.  From 2013 to 2019 she was the Chairman of the Dresden Trust, an organisation helping with the rebuilding of that city.

Caspar David Friedrich was born in 1774 and was a German Romantic landscape painter generally considered the most important German artist of his generation.  He is best known for his mid-period allegorical landscapes which typically feature contemplative figures silhouetted against night skies, morning mists or Gothic ruins. His primary interest was the contemplation of nature.  After a period of obscurity and an unfortunate association with Naziism, he regained his reputation in the 1970s. Eveline will tell us more about this fascinating figure.

Barbara is an historian and lecturer, examiner and course director on Blue Badge Guide Training courses, as well as a rota guide in the British Museum. She has conducted tours throughout the British Isles to Viking-related sites such as Jorvik, Lindisfarne and Repton.

The Vikings – hairy ruffians wearing helmets with horns, who terrorised our gentle, peace-loving Anglo-Saxon ancestors. This is still the picture most people have in mind and which is reinforced by a thousand cartoons and films. However, modern historians have a more nuanced view and claim the Vikings offered rather more, as Barbara will tell us. PS they did not wear horned helmets!

This lecture will be held live at the Allendale (without any availability online)

Tricha took her BA at the Courtauld Institute and won the Sotheby’s prize for a research project on Edvard Munch and the Christiana Avant-Garde. She has taught in the Art History Department at Bristol University since 2005 and in the History Department since 2013. She is currently involved in a Special Topic Project Unit on the American Civil War. Members will recall that we have had the pleasure of hearing Tricha lecture us before.

The American Civil War is sometimes described as the first ‘modern’ war and it was the first to be comprehensively recorded in photography with powerful images that were often grimly realistic. Tricha will tell us about the photographers of the era of whom there were many including the highly talented Matthew Brady. She will also tell us something about the numerous artists who were inspired by the titanic conflict.

Christopher began his career as a civil engineer and has had a passion for Art Deco architecture for over 40 years. As a professional tour guide and lecturer, he has led groups throughout the Middle East and Asia and has written extensively on Arabia. He is the author of several guidebooks, including the Insight Guide — The Silk Road,  and members will recall his lecture to us on that subject.

Art Deco from the 1920s and 1930s has a style and appeal that is immediately recognisable. Popular features include streamlining, sunbursts, eyebrows, frozen fountains, Egyptian themes and nautical designs, all highlighted in wonderful pastel shades. Rapid redevelopment between the world wars saw this modernistic movement spread to all our towns and cities. Meanwhile the expanding film industry used Art Deco design as the perfect way to attract cinema-goers to the surreal surroundings of the picture palace.

Charles has had a life-long career in advertising round the world, most of it as a Creative Director in global agencies responsible for the creative ideas and finished production of work for great brands, including British Airways. His experience with propaganda, advertising and design gives a unique insight as to what works, what doesn’t and why.

It’s August 4th 1914. Imagine you are a poster artist and Lord Kitchener has just handed you the hottest commercial art brief in history. Persuade 250,000 men to sign up before Christmas!  What would you do?  At the outbreak of WW1, posters were the most effective weapon of mass communication. Now they had to be more effective than ever.  Charles will consider comparisons of propaganda from Britain and other nations involved in the conflict.

Karin is an actor, writer and entertaining speaker, who researches and creates a vivid picture of historical character and period. All her subjects are connected with the fine arts; some, Queen Victoria and Hans Christian Andersen, are artists themselves. Karin’s entertaining lectures and shows are illustrated with a wide variety of pictures, portraits and caricatures of the day. She has taken them round the world.

Both Queen Victoria and Prince Albert possessed artistic sensibilities and were keen to promote English art and artists, making great friends with some of them. Edwin Landseer, in particular, charmed them with his portraits, singing voice and ghost stories.  The Queen continued to paint and draw, as she had done as a child, when her teachers included Edward Lear.

This lecture will be delivered as an online lecture

Imogen has lectured to us previously, so needs little introduction. She spent nearly twenty years in the army and, after retiring with the rank of major, studied Anglo-Saxon and Medieval History at the University of Kent. In 2019 she published her first book and she works as a freelance lecturer and runs study tours and courses.

One of the most famous pictures in the National Gallery is the Arnolfini Portrait painted by Jan van Eyck in 1434. It is an image filled with symbolism, as are many of van Eyck’s works, which is one of the many joys of exploring them. Other works explore the superiority of paint over stone. Imogen’s lecture introduces the work of van Eyck and examines some of his better known pieces in all their painted glory.

 The picture shown here is Saint Barbara Reading

This lecture will be delivered as an online lecture

Kevin studied Natural Sciences at Cambridge University and subsequently worked across the world as an underground engineer. He has had a life-long interest in the history of time-keeping and members will recall  his fascinating lecture on sundials (in which he has a special interest) which he gave us in 2014. He has published articles in both British and American journals.

Throughout history, humankind has been absorbed with understanding the cycles of the sun , stars , moon – and more recently the vibrations of the atom – and with finding means of measuring time. This became increasingly important with the Industrial Revolution. This lecture will look at the various time-telling methods and how the technology of them has progressed.

This lecture will be delivered as an online lecture

Peter appears in the UK and abroad as musician and scholar, giving recitals and delivering illustrated lectures on music and the arts. He studied singing and keyboard instruments at the Royal College of Music and at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. He has visited us previously, so we know we can look forward to an entertaining and informative lecture.

Vivaldi was a son of Venice and had an innate understanding of Venice’s aesthetic, which included a passion for colour, spectacle and display of emotion, points that are reflected time and time again in his music.  Learn more about this great and influential composer from a knowledgeable and enthusiastic lecturer. With luck we shall hear some of Vivaldi’s music.

This lecture will be delivered as an online lecture

Hilary lectures in the main museums in London for American universities and has toured widely in the USA and lectured for the Smithsonian Institution. She has also worked for the Art Fund, taught courses for Cambridge University and been a guest speaker on cruises. She trained as a painter at Central St Martin’s and exhibits abroad.

The ‘Star’ of Bethlehem apparently did exist. But what it was exactly, and when it shone in the night sky, are matters that for two thousand years people have taken on trust. Astronomers and astrophysicists can now recreate the night sky, looking south from Jerusalem towards Bethlehem one November night in 7BC, the year Jesus is thought to have been born. Including new research and using pictures from Western art, Hilary will tell us more about this fascinating and possibly contentious subject.

NB  This meeting is on the 2nd Monday of the month

to avoid clashing with the Christmas period.

This lecture will be delivered as an online lecture

Val is a lecturer on religious art and a guide for Tate Modern and Tate Britain, and a lecturer in other major galleries and in churches and cathedrals. She is on the teaching team at the Dulwich Picture Gallery and a script-writer for Living Paintings Trust (art for the blind and partially sighted).

Val will lecture to us on the cosmopolitan and eccentric Walter Sickert, who was a British painter and print-maker and a member of the Camden Town Group of Post-Impressionist artists in early 20th Century London. He was an important influence on a distinctively British style of avant-garde art. Val may possibly mention Jack the Ripper!

This lecture will be delivered as an online lecture

Paul will need little introduction, as members will recall his fascinating lecture on the ancient city of Palmyra. He will now turn his attention to two other ancient cities, this time in North Africa and of which he has intimate personal knowledge: Leptis Magna, which under the Emperor Tiberius was incorporated into the Roman Empire and became a major trading point, and Cyrene, one of the five Greek cities of the Region.

Paul has been curator of Roman Archaeology at the British Museum since 1994 and senior curator since 2008. He has a profound ‘hands-on’ knowledge of his subject, having excavated in Britain, Libya, Turkey and Greece, and has accompanied tours in Italy. He is the author of books on Roman subjects. He is a busy man and we are fortunate to have him lecture to us.

This lecture will be delivered as an online Webinar lecture

Ian got a degree from Oxford University, qualified as a chartered accountant and then became a professional magician. He now divides his time between performing magic, giving talks and writing. His book on 18th century hoaxes is due to be published in autumn 2020.

The 1700s was a period when the people of England seemed to be especially gullible. For example, they believed that a woman could give birth to rabbits. These hoaxes were extensively written about in newspapers and magazines and were brilliantly depicted by satirical artists of the day. Those members, who have heard Ian before, will know we can expect an entertaining talk.

John was formerly a lecturer at the University of Bath, where he was the Director of Studies in the School of Education. He has worked extensively overseas as an educational consultant and in 2008 and 2011 he undertook lecture tours in Australia and New Zealand. He has diverse interests and enthusiasms such as antique corkscrews, Norman Rockwell and, of course, the Shakers of North America.

There can be few people, who have not heard of the Shakers and who do not know something about them, their simple life style and their artefacts (especially furniture), which are also simple and much valued. John will flesh out this subject and tell us about their beliefs, architecture and artefacts.

Gavin is a cultural historian specialising in Central European art and culture. He appears on BBC Radio 3, both as a guest and a presenter, and on BBC Radio 4.  He lectures widely and has recently given talks for the National Trust, the National Theatre, the National Gallery, the British Museum, the BBC Proms, the Royal Opera House, the V&A and the Tate. He also leads cultural tours. 

After WW1, artists and architects were in a state of flux, just like the world they inhabited. Yet out of the crisis, left by the worst conflict ever known, came a period of truly stimulating artistic endeavour. Contemplating painters such as Max Beckman, Otto Dix and Christian Schad, alongside the experiments of the Bauhaus and new film technologies, this talk looks at the culture of German-speaking Europe during the interwar years.

James studied at the Universities of St. Andrews and Manchester and is a former curator of paintings, drawings and print. He is co-ordinator of various exhibitions and galleries at the National Maritime Museum Greenwich and he is also a lecturer and ships’ historian on board cruise ships. He has published a number of books, mainly on naval themes. He has lectured us previously and we know we can look forward to an entertaining talk.

This lecture covers the period 1800-1950 and deals with the great vessels, which ploughed the oceans (including those ships built by the pre-eminent Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel) in times of peace and war. James refers to those vessels as “the ships that shaped our lives”.

 NB  This meeting is on the second Monday of the month to avoid clashing with Christmas.

James is an award-winning archaeologist and accredited lecturer for both the Arts Society and WEA. He has experience of teaching undergraduates at the University of Nottingham, where he completed Graduate School training courses on lecturing. He is a well-practised public speaker, who has talked to a variety of organisations, including the Gresham College, Shakespeare400 and the National Trust.

Modern graffiti are often seen as transgressive and moronic. However, look closely in the light of a torch at the walls of our historic buildings, trees, caves and rock faces and you will see a world of graffiti left behind that illuminates the psychology of our ancestors and which enables us to hear the lost voices of ordinary individuals through the images they made. This is a hidden story which James will bring alive.

Caroline is an archivist and an historian. She was formerly director of the Parliamentary Archives in London and before that was a senior archivist at the National Archives. Her book ‘The Day Parliament Burned Down’ won the Political Book of the Year in 2013 and its sequel, about the rebuilding of the Palace of Westminster, was a Book of the Year in 2016. She has appeared at the Cheltenham, Hay and Henley literary festivals and on BBC radio and TV.

Caroline’s lecture explores the story of the suffragettes through their ‘pro and anti’ portrayals in cartoons, postcards and paintings, as well as their own artistic productions. It will also consider the suffragettes’ impact on the Houses of Parliament itself and how the Parliamentary Art Collection has responded to criticism that its own collection is too ‘male, pale and stale’.

Marina is a broadcaster, exhibition curator, journalist and former art critic for the Financial Times and subsequently the Sunday Times.  She is the author of several books including “The Artist as a Photographer“. She has lectured for major institutions in the USA & UK, India and Japan including the V&A, National Gallery and British Museum.

From being a toy for wealthy Victorians through cheap products for the masses and finally digital cameras photography has become an essential part of modern living and on the way has also become an art form in the hands of say  Cartier - Bresson or Robert Capa to take just a very small sample. This is a vast subject and Marina will take us on a whistle–stop tour halting at significant events and persons.

Christopher is an expert in the history and culture of the Middle East and North Africa. As a professional tour guide and lecturer he has led groups throughout the Middle East and Asia. He has written extensively on Arabia and is the author of several books on the area. As a photographer he has pictures represented by four photographic libraries. He has made documentaries for the BBC, National Geographic TV and Channel 4.

The Silk Road extends over 8,000 kms from China through Central Asia to the Mediterranean. The route acted as a highway for beliefs, ideas, inventions and art whilst silk was just one of the many products traded for 1,400 years. Travel with Christopher along the route and see traditional murals, ceramics, statues, carpets, architecture, mosaics, tile-work, rock-carvings and of course, silk itself.

Anne graduated in Art History and Archaeology from Leicester university in 1978 and worked as an archaeologist for 8 years being elected to the Society of Antiquaries in 1997 . She lectured at Southampton Solent university 1993 - 2007 and is currently Hon. Associate Professor of Exeter University and Tutor for the V and A Learning Academy . Anne has published books on Roman Pottery , Art Deco teapots and Edward Burne-Jones . She has been a TAS lecturer since 1993 , she toured Australia in 2000 , 2006 and 2009 and has lectured on cruises . Her television credits include BBC's " Flog It! " 

Julian studied archaeology at Reading University and has since worked as a professional archaeologist for English Heritage, for the BBC and as an independent. He has been involved in teaching and outreach projects and has followed a career in broadcasting researching and presenting ‘Meet the Ancestors’ and ‘Blood of the Viking’ for BBC and ‘Mapping the Town’ for Radio 4.  Members will recall his recent lecture to us on ‘Stonehenge’.

Love it or hate it the motor car is inextricably part of our lives. In this lecture Julian will explore one of his other interests (other than archaeology)  and consider the car in art. Prepare to be intrigued and informed by this unusual approach to the world of Art.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS MEETING WILL START AT 2pm TO ALLOW TIME FOR A SHORT AGM BEFORE THE LECTURE.
 

Linda holds two first-class degrees in Art History.  She is an experienced guide and lecturer at Tate Britain, Tate Modern and the Dulwich Picture gallery.  She lectures to secondary school audiences (recently at the Queen Elizabeth School in Wimborne) and independent arts societies.

James Gillray has been called “the father of the political cartoon“ with a series of savage cartoons satirising the King, his ministers, generals and especially the Prince Regent for whom he seemed to feel a particular antipathy. Even by modern standards his cartoons are often highly offensive and graphic but they are brilliantly conceived and executed. Linda will tell us more about this hugely talented man and put his work into context.

Since 1994 Paul has been Curator of Roman Archaeology in the department of Greek and Roman Antiquities at the British Museum and senior Curator since 2008.  He has degrees in Classics (Cambridge) and Classical Archaeology (Sheffield) and has excavated in Britain, Libya, Turkey and Greece. He has written books on Roman daily life, Roman Emperors, mummy portraits and Roman cameo glass.

The stunning city of Palmyra lies in Syria and was sadly in the news recently when large parts of it were vandalised by terrorists and the retired antiquities chief was murdered in horrific circumstances after refusing to hand over details of hidden treasures despite suffering torture. Paul will tell us about the history and architecture of the City and how it is recovering thanks to generous and determined efforts.

Susie read Classics at Cambridge. She is an accredited lecturer for TAS and has spoken at many venues including the British Museum and has recently written a biography of Sir Nikolaus Pevsner which won a Wolfson History Prize. She has published seven books with her husband Meirion.

Artists have always used jokes to make serious statements about themselves, about each other, about the world and about the nature of art. This lecture looks at the artists’ jokes – from the margins of medieval manuscripts to Marcel Duchamp’s moustache on the Mona Lisa, from Dutch tavern scenes with coded warnings against sins of the flesh to Magritte’s pipe. This should be an entertaining beginning to the New Year.

Imogen attended the University of Kent where she studied Anglo-Saxon & Medieval History and Art and graduated with 1st class honours. She subsequently studied for a PhD at the University of Birmingham. She works as a freelance lecturer across Britain and Europe as well as lecturing on small cruise ships and running study tours on land.

This unusual lecture will deal with medieval symbolism and medieval imagery where most objects have at least two interpretations depending on context. Imogen’s talk will assist us in understanding objects and images which we often see without fully grasping their significance.

NB  This meeting is on the 2nd Monday of the Month to avoid clashing with Christmas.

Richard is a freelance artist, lecturer, teacher and author since 1985. Before that he was Head of Art at Avery Hill College of Education. Since 1965 he has experience of teaching children and adults and presently teaches and lectures to adults at Education Centres and to independent organisations. He exhibits his work regularly at various galleries throughout the country.

This lecture deals with origins, stories, legends, truths and untruths about what we do at Christmas time.  It takes the form of a quiz and is a light–hearted presentation of many serious but also amusing beliefs, subjects and activities concerning the Yule–Tide season. It should prove to be an entertaining beginning as we run up to the excitement and activity of Christmas.

Toby has written two works of narrative history, ‘Stradivarius‘ and ‘Faberge’s Eggs‘ and given lectures associated with these subjects at various venues including the V&A and literary festivals. His career began with Natural Sciences at Cambridge and has included five years as managing director of Faber and Faber the publishing company established by his grandfather where he remains on the board.  He is a director of the Authors Licensing and Collecting Society.

Two hundred and fifty years after Antonio Stradivari’s death his violins and cellos remain the most highly prized instruments in the world. Loved by great musicians and capable of fetching fabulous sums when sold, their tone and beauty are legendary.  No subsequent violin- maker has matched them.  How can that be? This lecture explores that central mystery by following some of Stradivari’s instruments from his workshop to the present day.

Ian gained a First Class degree from Oxford University in Politics, Philosophy and Economics, qualified as a Chartered accountant and then became a professional magician.  He has written and presented a Radio 4 documentary on mind readers and performed a show about Charles Dickens, who was an amateur conjuror.  Ian collects 18th and 19th century books, posters and prints relating to magic and hoaxes.  He has a deep and abiding interest in Dickens and his works.

George Cruikshank is now best remembered for his brilliant drawings for Charles Dicken’s Oliver Twist.   But this is to do his prodigious skills and work output a disservice.  He moved effortlessly from producing biting satirical prints to exquisite engravings for numerous books and journals . His reputation suffered in later life  but he is a fascinating character and this lecture will be an entertaining end to the 2017/8 season.

Tricha gained her BA from the Courtauld Institute and MA from Bath Spa University.  Her thesis examined the work of Roger Fry and Roland Penrose.  She taught in the History Department at Bristol University from 2005 and in 2009 won the Teaching and Learning prize for the Faculty of Arts.  She has also taught in the Visual Culture Department at the Faculty of Creative Arts at Bristol UWE since 1998, the Department for Continuing Education at Oxford University since 2008 and for American Studies Programmes in London since 1999.

The Vorticist movement was founded in 1914 to “ blast “ what they considered to be the effete nature of contemporary art  and to express the dynamism of the modern world . They were inspired by modernity and the machine and their work engaged directly with current themes and rejected academic art .  The movement was short lived and effectively died with the Great War but their work still has an impact today . Tricha will tell us more about this movement and its proponents .

Matthew lectures widely on the subject of design and is especially interested in that of the 19th and 20th centuries.  A recognised expert in the work of designer William Burges, he has been Curator of Cardiff castle for over 20 years and has published widely in art and architectural journals.  His book , a history of Cardiff Castle, is the result of many years research.  He is a long standing member of NADFAS and has been a NADFAS lecturer for over 10 years.

There is something romantic about a long – lost country house.  Often there is now nothing left but an overgrown drive or a group of trees to remind us of its existence.  This lecture will tell us the story of some of these losses – destroyed for so many reasons  -  from neglect  arson, enemy action, financial disaster or simple insanity.  Hundreds were just demolished in 1945.  Each is fascinating in its own way.

Magdalen studied History of Art at UEA and worked at Agnew’s for over 10 years.  Since then she has been organising exhibitions and writing articles concentrating on 19th  / 20th  century women artists.  Shei is a contributor to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography and to BBC Woman’s Hour.  She has lectured for the Art Fund, National Portrait Gallery, Pre – Raphaelite Society and Art Workers Guild as well as to the art Society of Budapest.  With her English landscape painter husband Adrian she has published a book on Marianne.

Traditionally war art was the prerogative of men but during the Second World War things became more relaxed and many women artists came to prominence most notably Dame Laura Knight. Nevertheless women still faced an uphill struggle to be given the credit which they deserved – and earned . Learn more about this talented and dedicated group of women.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS MEETING WILL START AT 2pm TO ALLOW TIME FOR A SHORT AGM BEFORE THE LECTURE
 

In view of the inclement weather, please check the website before setting off for the lecture.  If able we will provide further information when available.

Jacqueline is a linguist and art historian.  She took her first degree in French and Spanish then her Masters in Applied Linguistics in Sao Paulo, Brazil. She gained further qualifications at Birkbeck College London where she lectured on Western European Art for twenty years.  She was also Head of Department of Art History at Westminster School before launching her new career as a free- lance lecturer in London and abroad.  She is managing director of Art and Culture Travel Ltd. 

Still frankly a puzzle to many although Cubism was introduced as long ago as 1907/8 by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque who were seeking a new approach to representing reality.  They brought together different views of subjects (usually objects or figures) in a single picture resulting in images that were fragmented and abstracted.  Jacqueline will guide us in understanding the aims and methods of the Cubists.

Julian will be familiar  from his TV programmes Meet the Ancestors and Blood of the Vikings which he researched and presented.  He studied archaeology at Reading University and has since worked  as a professional archaeologist for English Heritage, the BBC and as an independent.  He has been involved in lecturing, teaching and community and outreach projects.  He is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London and has written a number of works on Stonehenge including the current English Heritage guide.  His other interests include ceramic history and historic motorsport.

Stonehenge is unique  -  a national treasure and a global icon.  Julian will examine the sophisticated architecture of Stonehenge, the product of stone tools, determination, organisation and strongly held beliefs.   He will examine how perceptions and understandings of Stonehenge have changed over the centuries, how it has inspired writers, artists and musicians and in a more light- hearted vein - how it has been used in advertising.

Clive studied on the Sotheby’s Works of Art courseand has now been working in the art world for some40 years . He is managing director of Woolley & Wallis the UK’s leading regional auctioneers in Salisbury and has been a specialist on the BBC Antiques Roadshow for over 20 years and has appeared on other TV and radio programmes.  He has lectured on cruise ships as well as for many other groups and has recently published a major article on Betty Joel.

Who, what, where and how? With his long experience in the art market as an auctioneer and dealer as well as a member of the Antiques Roadshow team Clive is uniquely qualified to tell us how this dynamic industry has developed over the years.  Why do tastes change ? How does the market work? He will discuss all these aspects and what affects them. And of particular interest always – how do you value your antiques?

James studied at the Universities of St Andrews and Manchester and is a former curator of paintings, drawings and prints, and co-ordinator of various exhibitions and galleries at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.  He  is also a lecturer and ships’ historian on board cruise ships.  James has published numerous works – mainly on nautical themes and one on the famous cartoonist Fougasse.

We are all familiar with the  picture postcard which is still surprisingly popular even today with its quintessentially broad British humour.  James will be talking about these objects when they were in their hey-day and  the subject of an essay by as notable a writer as George Orwell.  Prepare to be amused – perhaps shocked?  Certainly you will go away from this lecture fortified for the Christmas season.

NB  This meeting is on the 2nd Monday of the Month to avoid clashing with Christmas.

David read law at Oxford and practised as a solicitor for 20 years . He returned to University in 1996 to read History of Art and now specialises in Cornish Art.  His particular interest in St Ives art derives from the fact that his great – grandfather William Titcomb was one of the early settlers in the colony.  Since 2000 David has curated various exhibitions on Cornish art including for Tate St Ives and for other galleries around the country.   He has also published eight books  on various aspects of this subject.

St Ives with its wonderful light and its magnificent land and seascapes  became a magnet for artists following the extension of the Great Western Railway to West Cornwall in 1877.   The town became the home of generations of  well known artists such as Ben Nicholson and Barbara Hepworth as well as many who are perhaps less celebrated.  David will enlighten us about these and will no doubt find time to touch on the world renowned Tate St Ives.

Peter has been involved in the art world for some forty years and has a wide range of interests most of which pivot on the technology and manufacturing of the decorative arts from early civilisations through to the 19th century.  He has completed three degrees culminating in a doctoral paper on precious metal techniques and their effect on the European economies of the 18th century.  He is a keen collector of “stuff” and enjoys the research into all objects – their history and the reasons behind their manufacture.  He believes that to understand the object is to understand the craftsman.

The Palace of Versailles has been listed as a World heritage site for 30 years and is one of the greatest achievements in French 17th century art.  Louis XIV embellished and extended a hunting lodge which had belonged to his father and established the court and government there in 1682.  Learn more about this magnificent and iconic building from Peter’s lecture.

David read Modern History at the University of Oxford and has an MA in the History of Art and a PhD in British History.  He is the author of a number of books and has lectured widely at galleries and museums in the UK including Tate Britain and the National Portrait Gallery.  He was formerly a Research Fellow at Wolfson College, Oxford and at UCLA and was Curator of Maritime and Imperial History at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.  He is now a freelance writer and lecturer.

What a vast subject!  Sadly the Art market has always been open to fraud – perhaps especially now when prices have soared to such dizzy heights.  If you are contemplating investing several million pounds in a painting maybe this lecture will help you avoid the pitfalls.  Those of you who have heard David lecture to us previously will know we can look forward to an informative and entertaining afternoon which will put us in the right mood for our Summer break.

After 38 years in Education (18 as a Head Teacher) Frances is now a freelance lecturer in art and theatre history.  She has lectured at the Theatre Museum, Covent Garden and many other venues. She is the tour guide at the Garrick Club and is also chairman of the Irving Society and of the Henry Irving Foundation.

In the two decades before the Great War of 1914 – 1918 a group of children were born who arguably became the greatest generation of actors the United Kingdom has ever seen.  In this lecture Frances will look at the lives and work of actors such as Laurence Olivier (depicted above in perhaps his most famous role as Richard 111) Ralph Richardson, Edith Evans and others too numerous to mention.  She will also trace their influence forward to the present major actors of the British stage – to name Judi  Dench as just one.  They have all proved that theatre is a fine art as well as superb entertainment.

James studied history at Pembroke College, Cambridge but was galvanised into writing about art by a lengthy stint selling contemporary paintings and sculpture in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  A passionate advocate of 20th century British painting and design, he writes and lectures widely, has written numerous books on subjects including Paul Nash and Eric Ravilious and has entertained audiences at many venues including the V & A and the National Maritime Museum.

Georgia O’Keeffe was an American painter whose works were highly praised during her life–time.  Her subjects included landscapes, flowers and animal bones and she worked mainly around Lake Georgia, New York and New Mexico and this lecture concentrates on the latter location.  Learn more about this fascinating and talented painter whose name is perhaps not widely recognised in the UK.

Colin is an architect who was until recently Professor of Architectural Theory at London Metropolitan University. He is a former editor of  “The Architects’ Journal “ and a regular contributor to architectural magazines world wide.  He has written books and monographs on architectural subjects and is currently writing a history of modern architecture.

Love it or hate it, everyone – including the Prince of Wales – has an opinion on this subject since it impinges on us every day.  Learn more about this vast subject from Colin - and take the opportunity to ask questions about the things that worry you or interest you on the subject of modern architecture.

Harry taught art, design and printmaking for over 20 years and he was Head of Art & Design in a large comprehensive school.  He was an “A” level examiner in the History of Art and a GCSE Moderator of Art.  As an Open University Tutor he worked with Simon Nicholson, the son of Barbara Hepworth and Ben Nicholson.   For 10 years he lead Saga Art Appreciation holidays around Europe.   He is a portrait painter and has had work short–listed for the RA Summer Exhibition.

Not everyone can put a name to his face but Grayson Perry CBE is instantly recognisable by most people.  He is an artist best known for his ceramic vases and cross–dressing.  His vases have classical forms and are decorated in bright colours displaying subjects at odds with their attractive appearance.  He is also an accomplished painter – again in bright colours but often with eccentric subject matters.  Harry will tell us more about this unusual but highly talented man.

Carole is a guide / lecturer in France who has spent the last 15 years on a boat exploring the early haunts of the Impressionists along the Seine.  Her lively lecture will take us to a tiny section of the river to the west of Paris which has been termed the Cradle of Impressionism.

The Impressionists are nowadays world renowned and we are used to their works fetching huge sums of money at Auction.  Yet when they were starting out it was quite a different matter as they dared to challenge the art world.  Their escapades and attempts to gain recognition are quite a story.

Anthony is a cultural historian, writer and artist.  He has travelled much of the world combining painting with tour lecturing – principally to American university students on bespoke tours and to NADFAS.  He spent six years as a consultant for Luke Hughes advising on the furniture needs of prestigious buildings throughout Britain.  Now based in London, he spends much of his time lecturing and undertaking research, while assisting at the British Museum with outreach events and visiting lecturers.

Most of us are familiar with this wonderful painting by Hans Holbein the Younger which now hangs in the National Gallery.  We know who the subjects are, but mysteries surround the work which contains hidden messages and meanings.  Why was it painted, what are the meanings of the various objects depicted – especially the strange distorted skull?  Anthony will seek to unlock these mysteries and leave us with a fuller understanding of this masterpiece.

Peter appears in the UK and abroad as musician and scholar, giving recitals and delivering illustrated lectures on music and the arts.  He studied singing and early keyboard instruments at the Royal College of Music and at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. He regularly take groups to Europe.

We are all familiar with the Christmas tree as a traditional ornament in our houses at this time of the year but most of us know little of its history and how it reached our shores – except perhaps recalling that it was introduced here by Prince Albert from his native Germany.  Here is a chance to learn more about this pretty “ toy “ (to use Peter’s expression). This promises to be a fascinating lecture which will put us all in the Christmas spirit. 

NB  This meeting is on the 2nd Monday of the Month to avoid clashing with Christmas

John advises the owners of Britain’s finest houses and landscapes on how to make these places more visitor – friendly.  This includes explaining the fascinating story of European architecture – from classical origins to the present day.  He has been a NADFAS lecturer since 2013 and covers his subjects with expertise and a light touch.  An unbridled enthusiast  for his subject, John was educated at Winchester (where he first caught the architect bug) and Oxford where he read Engineering Science and developed an understanding of building structures.

This is a two – part lecture.  In the first section John will cover Italian renaissance architecture and describe how it spread across the rest of Europe and eventually to Britain.  He will also explain the meaning of terms such as Palladianism and  Baroque.  In the second part he will describe how industrialisation changed the world of architecture and how the Victorian Gothic revival did so much to define our national landscape in Britain.  The two parts will embrace the period 1400 to 1900.

Nicholas’ career has mirrored his abiding interest in Antiques. He has worked for some of the major Auction Houses in London as well as running his own book business devoted to the Decorative and Fine Arts. His particular interest is English 18th century furniture and country houses.  However, his interest is broad and he likes to discuss objects, not just for themselves but in their historical context.  He is much in demand as a lecturer which has taken him to many parts of the world and all over the United Kingdom including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Lutyens was an architect whose work, over a period of half a century, spanned the Globe and the British Empire in particular.  He set up on his own at the age of twenty and his friendship with the garden designer Gertrude Jekyll was of immeasurable benefit to him – as was his marriage to Lady Emily Lytton. His career culminated with the building of Imperial Delhi but his work always displayed a  lightness of touch which gave us some of the most beautiful buildings of the 20th century like The Salutation or his Dolls’ house for Queen Mary.

Lectures start promptly at 2.15pm

Sue Jackson was originally involved in art and design publishing and now lectures for the National Trust, U3A  and City Literary Institute . She is a qualified Blue Badge Guide and leads guided walks on various themes in London and has published work on the lost world of the River Fleet.

Sue Jackson will give us the benefit of her deep and extensive knowledge of the history of London to tell us about the Huguenot immigrants who settled in Spitalfields following religious persecution in France, and how they prospered and ultimately suffered.

Lectures start promptly at 2.15pm

Sophie Oosterwijk was born in Gouda in the Netherlands.   She has an MA in English literature from Leiden, an MA in medieval studies from York and a PhD in History of Art from Leicester.   She has taught at the universities of St. Andrews, Leicester and Manchester as well as for Sotheby’s Institute of Art, WEA and other organisations. Sophie is a regular lecturer for Cambridge University , editor of the journal “Church Monuments“ and has produced numerous publications including two edited books on English medieval sculpture.

A portrait is not always a straightforward likeness of a person.  A “cryptoportrait “ may at first sight not look like a portrait at all ; real people may be  “disguised “ as the Magi in an Adoration scene and a god or saint may have the features of the patron who commissioned the work. Likewise, an artist’s self-portrait may be hidden among a host of other faces in a group portrait. This lecture will help us look carefully and recognise these visual games that artists and patrons played with the viewer.

Lectures start promptly at 2.15pm

Maureen Schild is an art teacher and lecturer in psychology and a psychotherapist with 30 years’ experience.  She is interested in the link between art and psychology and creativity and has studied the life and work of artists and their psychological significance.

 She is also interested in the creative process, specifically in how, why and where artistic developments occur.  She has lectured to various art groups, including NADFAS and the U3A as well as many other regional and local arts societies.  She is currently working on a novel about Edvard Munch.

Maureen Schild’s lecture considers the “soul paintings“ of Munch and their significance. This will be an opportunity to learn more about the artist responsible for one of the most iconic and well known paintings.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS MEETING WILL START AT 2pm TO ALLOW TIME FOR A SHORT AGM BEFORE THE LECTURE
 

Leslie Primo holds a BA in Art History and an MA in Renaissance Studies from Birkbeck College, University of London.  He was visiting lecturer in Art History at the University of Reading in 2005 and 2007 and gives lectures and guided tours, plus special talks, at both the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery.  He also lectures at the City Literary Institute and has presented a series of talks at the National Maritime Museum and the Courtauld Institute.

In his lecture Leslie Primo will consider the life and works of the great artist Dürer and the relationship between him and the Northern artists and Italian art  -  expect fascinating insights.

Lectures start promptly at 2.15pm

Roger Mitchell studied history at Oxford and fine art at Leeds and he was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to travel and study in the USA.  He is a former College Vice-Principal who now lectures for the University of Liverpool and for Adult Residential Colleges.  Roger organises and leads country house study tours and also tries to find time for research at Chatsworth.

The grand Victorian house was one of the ornaments of 19th century England and Roger Mitchell’s lecture will consider how their influence and style spread throughout the world. He will talk not only about the buildings themselves but also about people – patrons,  architects, builders, craftsmen and, most of all, the people who lived in the buildings, used them and loved them.

Lectures start promptly at 2.15pm

Elizabeth Strang came to art fairly late in life through an OU master’s degree in humanities, with special emphasis on modern art.  After graduation she was selected by the Tate as a guide and a lecturer for the opening of Tate Modern in 2000 and since has worked in both Tate galleries.  She has talked on modern art on cruises for P&O and more recently Swan Hellenic.  She earlier lived in Europe, the Gulf and Asia, working as a bi-lingual secretary, translator and interpreter.  Later in Luxembourg, she opened and ran an English language bookshop. Apart from her family and art, her main interests are opera, cricket and bridge. For 20 years she has been a volunteer adviser and fundraiser for the Citizens Advice Bureau in Tunbridge Wells.

Elizabeth Strang will be lecturing us on the contentious and often puzzling subject of modern art over the last century or so. We expect this lecture to describe the many strands of modern art and to enlighten and explain and we anticipate it will give rise to questions from our audience.

Lectures start promptly at 2.15pm

Christopher Rogers read geography at Oxford and taught the subject. He was formerly Head of Geography at Downe House School, Newbury.  He became interested in country houses whilst at Oxford  and has lectured on the subject ever since in regular 5 day summer school courses for Marlborough College Summer School and for the National Trust.

In the 13th century the decision was taken to resite the Old Sarum Cathedral and the bishopric was moved to Salisbury.  Christopher will trace the history of the beautiful medieval cathedral from the laying of the foundation stone in 1220 through repair work designed by Sir Christopher Wren and extensive changes carried out in the 18th century.

Lectures start promptly at 2.15pm

Eric Shanes is a painter and the author of 13 bestselling books on Turner.   He has also frequently contributed articles on Turner to specialist and popular journals and newspapers and was the founding editor of ‘Turner Studies’, a scholarly journal published by the Tate gallery.  He has curated several important Turner exhibitions at the Tate and elsewhere and has written a book on the Impressionists in London as well as books on leading modern artists.   A professional lecturer since 1966 and a NADFAS lecturer since 1983, he has lectured all over the world and is much in demand as a lecturer due to his skills in communicating and his passion for his subjects.

Auguste Rodin (1840 – 1917) represents the end of a sculptural tradition that goes back to Michelangelo, and ultimately to the ancient Greeks.  Primarily a modeller, he completely revivified the heroic figural tradition, and brought a new and often erotic sensibility into play.  In this lecture Eric will analyse Rodin’s artistic development, locate it within the context of his life and times, and afford insights into many of his leading works. 

Lectures start promptly at 2.15pm

Gail Turner read history at Oxford and has an MA in the History of Art from the Courtauld Institute.   She lectures to NADFAS, the Art Fund and many other art organisations.  Gail has been a guest lecturer at the University of Wales and has taught at the Cambridge University International Summer School.  She currently teaches on courses at the V & A and the Courtauld Institute Summer School.  Gail loves Spain and has accompanied many NADFAS, Inscape and Martin Randall travel tours to Spain as a lecturer, and she is also a practising painter and etcher.

Goya designed tapestries, produced hundreds of etchings and political works on a broad canvas, but in his powerful and original portraits he turns his critical eye directly on his contemporaries.   Goya’s sitters came from many walks of life:  politicians, architects, aristocrats, actresses, bankers, bullfighters, friends and relations and the extraordinarily unattractive members of the Spanish Royal Family.  Today we marvel at how daringly unflattering he could be and how he managed to get away with such provocative work.

Lectures start promptly at 2.15pm

Judy Rudoe has worked at the British Museum since 1974, specialising in jewellery, together with 19th and 20th century decorative arts.   In 1984 she co-authored the two-volume Catalogue of the Hull Grundy Gift of jewellery to the British Museum.  In 1997 Judy organised the exhibition Cartier 1900 – 1939 at the British Museum and wrote the accompanying catalogue.  She is a Freeman of the Goldsmiths’ Company, a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, and has been a NADFAS lecturer since 1988.

Micromosaics are made of thousands of tiny pieces of glass, invisible to the naked eye.  Inspired by the discovery in Hadrian’s Villa in 1735 of the finest mosaic ever made in ancient Rome, the mosaic artists of 18th century Rome invented a method of making tiny mosaics in glass instead of stone.  The lecture traces the development of these astonishing feats of ingenuity, none more than 7cm in length, from their neo-classical beginnings to the romantic landscapes and naturalistic subjects of the 19th century.  These micromosaics were highly prized in their day and brought back by visitors to Italy as treasured mementoes and as portable miniature versions of large scale mosaics or paintings.

Lectures start promptly at 2.15pm

From 1993-2007 Anne was a senior lecturer on the Fine Arts Valuation degree courses at Southampton Solent University where she specialised in the Aesthetic Movement, Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau and Modernism. She has been Hon. Research Fellow at Exeter University, a fellow of Henry Francis Du Pont Winterthur Museum and Library and consultant for Lord Frederic Leighton’s Studio-House, Kensington. She has published books on Roman pottery, Art Deco teapots and Edward Burne-Jones. A NADFAS lecturer since 1992, Anne toured Australia in 2005, 2006, 2009 and has lectured on Swan Hellenic’s Minerva and the Spirit of Adventure.

Art Nouveau is considered a “total” art style, embracing architecture, graphic art, interior design and most of the decorative arts. According to the philosophy of the style, art should be a way of life. It was inspired by natural forms and structures, not only in flowers and plants but also in curved lines. Architects tried to harmonise with the natural environment.

Lectures start promptly at 2.15pm

Chloe Sayer is a freelance specialist in the art and culture of Latin America. A fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute, she has lectured in Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, Mexico and New Zealand. She also travels on Central American cruises as the NADFAS lecturer for Swan Hellenic. Chloe has made ethnographic collections for the British Museum. She has worked on a number of television documentaries for Channel 4 and the BBC, and has curated several exhibitions of Mexican folk art.

The Inca were fond of gold and silver and used it for ornaments and for decorating their temples and palaces as well as for personal jewellery. Many objects were made of solid gold. Emperor Atahualpa had a portable throne of 15 carat gold that reportedly weighed 183lbs. The Inca were one tribe of many in the region before they began conquering and assimilating their neighbours; gold and silver may have been demanded as tribute from vassal cultures.

Lectures start promptly at 2.15pm

Pamela Halford, President of Bristol DFAS, is a freelance lecturer, poet, writer and artist. She was previously a lecturer then researcher, scriptwriter, and director for the BBC. Pamela has delighted us with her lectures in previous years.

Artists depict their wives, mistresses or animals, some portray love imaginatively, producing images that charm, intrigue or disturb - for what is love? Caricaturists provide humour, satire and wit. Sculpture and paintings from 1650 BC to the present are used to depict this theme, often accompanied by an appropriate poem or an odd ode!

Peter Warwick is an author, historian and recognised authority on Nelson. He has lectured at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich and at the National Museum of the Royal Navy, at colleges, universities and on various voyages. To commemorate the bicentenary in 2015, this special lecture offers an artistic and cultural appreciation of one of the most famous battles of all time. Waterloo was a defining moment in European history and the lecture shows how artists have interpreted the event and so influenced our understanding of what actually happened on 18th June 1815 - and not always correctly.

Frank Woodgate is a guide and lecturer at Tate Britain and Tate Modern; he also lectures at the Dulwich Picture Gallery for the National Trust, the Art Fund and for the Tate on P & O Cruises. Frank is also the script writer for the Living Paintings Trust which brings art to the blind and partially sighted. This lecture will explore the poetic vision of Marc Chagall who died in 1985 at the age of 98. Chagall managed to combine images from his own life, including his happy marriage, with significant themes such as Judaism, Christianity and the Russian Revolution

Viv Hendra has been giving talks for many years. Formerly a school teacher, he now has a commercial art gallery in Truro, where he is also a member of NADFAS. An acknowledged authority on Opie, he is consulted by galleries, auction houses and private researchers. John Opie RA was an important eighteenth century artist, the carpenter’s boy touched by genius, who was buried next to Sir Joshua Reynolds in St Paul’s Cathedral. Professor of Painting at the Royal Academy, his legacy of paintings can be found across the world. His works are in the Tate Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery and the Royal Collection - yet most people have never heard of him. Showing images of Opie’s paintings, Viv Hendra tells a story which is improbable, extraordinary, funny, poignant and always entertaining.

Anthony Penrose is a British photographer. He is the son of Sir Roland Penrose and Lee Miller and is the director of the Lee Miller Archive and Penrose Collection at his parents’ former home, Farley Farm House. Lee Miller was a model, fine art photographer and noted war correspondent and Sir Roland Penrose a surrealist artist, poet and biographer of Pablo Picasso, among others Lee Miller and Roland Penrose came to live in Farley Farm House in 1949 and for the following 35 years they built up a collection of contemporary art treasures, many of which were created by their friends and visitors including Pablo Picasso, Man Ray, Max Ernst and Jean Miro. The works of these and numerous others are exhibited in the house alongside those of Penrose and Miller, giving the visitor a fascinating insight into the world of the Surrealists.

John Ericson’s wide-ranging career in education and training has given him the opportunity to give lectures and presentations at conferences all over the world. He has developed highly effective communication skills based upon an in-depth understanding of how people learn and the importance of visuals in the process. His ability to relate well to people of all ages and backgrounds makes him an impressive and confident speaker. John will examine paintings of wine being made and being consumed in celebration since the time of Noah, as well as looking at the contribution that ‘wine art’ makes to our colourful world. Who has not marvelled at the creativity and beauty of wine labels? Do stay and enjoy a cup of tea with complimentary mince pies and Stollen after the lecture

Oliver Everett was educated at Cambridge University and studied international relations at Tufts University, where he received his MA. After post-graduate work at the London School of Economics, Mr Everett spent several years abroad in the Foreign Service, first in New Delhi and then in Madrid. Prior to his appointment in 1985 as Librarian of the Royal Library at Windsor Castle, he was Associate Private Secretary to HRH The Prince of Wales and then Private Secretary to HRH The Princess of Wales. For his services to the Queen he was awarded Commander of the Royal Victoria Order. Oliver will talk about how Buckingham Palace developed from a modest Georgian house to the present Palace; from George III’s purchase of a family home in 1762 to the creation of a stunning palace by King George IV and John Nash in the 1820’s; to the Royal residence used by Queen Victoria and monarchs ever since as the centre of British Court life and the glittering setting for thousands of official functions and occasions. The Palace also contains hundreds of art treasures from the Royal Collection, including world famous paintings, furniture, sculpture, porcelain, clocks and other objects.

Kevin Karney, son of an Anglican clergyman, was brought up in Northumberland and educated at Rugby School and Trinity College Cambridge. He holds a Masters degree in Natural Sciences. After 2 years as a VSO teacher in North Borneo, he worked for 33 years in the oil business in Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Malaysia, Nigeria and the Netherlands and retired as a senior technical executive with Shell International. Since retirement he has involved himself in charity work and as a Magistrate in Gwent. Kevin will briefly chart the history of dialling, punctuating it with what poets and philosophers thought about time throughout the ages. The sundial was seen as a symbol of the interconnected threads between cosmology, astronomy, geometry, other natural sciences, philosophy and religion. The theme, however, is not a history lesson, but shows how the role of the sundial changed as the needs of society and science have progressed. Since the dawn of civilisation, the sun has been used by mankind to mark the passage of the seasons and the time during the day. It was not until the 1920’s, when radio time signals finally took over, that the last commercial use of the sundial as a time-teller finally ceased.

Caroline Holmes lectures internationally delving into the myriad ways people and plants have historically shaped landscapes and what we can learn from them. In 2008 she visited Australia recording the series A Sunparched Country for BBC Radio 4 which she presented. In July 2012 she undertook the Cook Circuit for the Australian DFAS. She is the author of 9 books including Impressionists in their Gardens. The lecture tells of The Heidelberg School which shelters under its own unique umbrella taking its academic influences equally from the Royal Academy School in London and the French Impressionists. Key members were Tom Roberts, Arthur Streeton and Charles Conder whose art evolved from the informal, evocative and naturalistic into a nationalistic expression. In 1901 Frederick McCubbin bought a cottage on Mount Macedon; its surroundings became the inspiration for some of his best known works. The family named the property Fontainebleau. Its guest list ranged from Ellen Terry and Dame Nellie Melba to his myriad students who camped in the gardens.

Caroline Knight is an architectural historian, trained at the Courtauld and specialising in 16th to 18th century English and Scottish architectural history and patronage. Caroline researched the history of Kensington Palace and has published on the Cecil family and several articles on architecture and the history of travel. William Kent trained as an artist in early 18th century Rome, and over 10 years looked at classical architecture and Italian garden design before returning to London with Lord Burlington. He lived for the rest of his days as part of the Burlington household, and made use of Burlington’s influential position to establish himself as a decorator and designer, able to turn his hand to a picture-hang or to designs for flamboyant giltwood furniture. His work for George I, George II and Queen Caroline made him a well-known figure, and his work for them at Kensington Palace and Kew Gardens led on to further work for the landed families of England.

Charles Hadjamach is one of the top authorities on glass in the country. For 23 years he was the Director of Broadfield House Glass Museum in Kingswinford, which he helped to establish in 1980 and which quickly became one of the top glass museums in the world. Charles has written extensively on the subject. In 1991 he published ‘British Glass 1800-1914’ which remains the standard work on the subject. His second book ‘20th century British Glass’ was published in October 2009. René Lalique was quite simply the greatest glass artist of the twentieth century. As a jeweller, glassmaker and architectural artist, he spanned the two great movements of Art Nouveau and Art Deco. The dynasty that he established continues to produce bold and exquisite creations which are coveted and collected by glass collectors around the world.

This lecture portrays the creative life of Carl, son of the early-music pioneer Arnold Dolmetsch, and explores his pivotal role in the 20th century recorder renaissance. From the age of 7, when he accidentally left the bag containing his father’s antique Bressan recorder on a platform at Waterloo Station, Carl’s destiny would become inextricably linked with the recorder. He recorded the first recorder disc for the Columbia Gramophone Company at the aged of 21, thus launching his career as the first professional recorder recitalist of modern times. Surprisingly, his work on aircraft components during WWII led him to design the first plastic recorders in 1945, whose introduction into schools transformed musical education for thousands of children and turned recorder into a household word. Carl’s 45 Wigmore Hall recitals, for which he commissioned new works from leading contemporary composers, once more established the recorder as a serious musical instrument and secured its survival for generations to come.

David Boyd Haycock is a freelance writer and curator, specialising in early 20th century British art. Having read Modern History at the University of Oxford he has an MA in the History of British Art from the University of Sussex and a PhD in History from the University of London. David Boyd Haycock’s lecture is based upon his recent book “A Crisis of Brilliance: Five Young British Artists and the Great War “

Alexandra Drysdale is a graduate of Chelsea College of Art where she gained a degree in Fine Arts and an MFA from Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University. Alexandra is a professional artist specialising in sculpture and performance. “Have you ever wondered where the blue in medieval illuminated manuscripts came from, or how the glaziers of our Gothic cathedrals made their blue glass? The ancient Britons tattooed their bodies in a blue dye. Why doesn’t the Virgin Mary wear green, and why is Krishna painted blue? These are some of the questions that I will be addressing. The story of blue takes us to the lapis lazuli mines of Afghanistan, the indigo dyers in Africa, and the studios of Titian and Vermeer”.

Sarah Kelly graduated in Art History and Italian from Bristol University and holds the Museums Diploma. Pieter Brueghel the Elder’s subject matter was the country people and landscapes near Brussels. Ranging from riotous dancing and drinking to tired hunters in a snowy scene, these pictures are still very popular today. For the 16th century viewer they held different and fascinating meanings which will be explored in this lecture. Brueghel’s work is set in the context of the turbulent history of the period when Spain ruled the South Netherlands. Contemporary attitudes to peasants, the perspectives offered by Erasmus’ writings and the scientific advances of the day are all reflected in Brueghel’s countryside scenes.

Sara Lenton works as a lecturer and programme contributor for the Royal Opera House and the English National Opera and as a broadcaster for Radios 3 and 4. Sarah has also written and directed many productions for the Royal Opera House. Do join us for tea with complimentary mince pies and Stollen after the lecture

Mrs Anthea Streeter studied the Fine and Decorative Arts in London and continued her studies at Harvard University. It was while at Harvard, where there was great enthusiasm for American Design, that she became interested herself in 20th Century architecture. British architecture has been experiencing an unprecedented period of vibrancy and international recognition, and the quality of new buildings in Britain is putting the country at the forefront of architectural innovation. The lecture is constructed around the several strands which presently make up the British architectural scene. Many of the buildings we shall look at are those which have either won or been shortlisted for the annual RIBA Stirling Prize since it was inaugurated in 1996. In examining these buildings, the lecture addresses such terms as Neo-Modernism, Deconstruction and Biomorphic architecture, influenced by natural forms and seen for example in Peter Cook’s extraordinary Kunsthaus in Graz, a Stirling Prize runner up in 2004. At the other end of the scale, we look at the new but little known classical country houses being produced by Quinian Terry and other leaders in classical design.

Douglas Skeggs read Fine Arts at Magdalene College, Cambridge and has been a lecturer on paintings since 1980. He has written and presented various TV documentaries, notably the Omnibus programme on ‘Whistler’ and the exhibition video on ‘William Morris’ . Three one-man exhibitions of his paintings have been held in England and Switzerland. He has published 5 novels, which have been translated into 8 foreign languages, and his book on Monet ‘River of Light’ has sold 30,000 copies in England, America and France. From the early sixties, when he left the Royal College of Art more famous than his teachers, Hockney's paintings have shown a charm and humour that sets them apart from others of his generation. A naturally gifted draftsman, his love of ingenious visual devices has led him to experiment with a whole range of techniques, from stage design to coloured paper making. From the early abstract expressionist images, through his famous Californian scenes of swimming pools to the photo-montages of the mid-eighties, this lecture follows the career of an artist whose wit and imagination has never faltered.

Louise Schofield was Curator of Greek Bronze Age and Geometric Antiquities at the British Museum from 1987 -2000. She now writes lectures and runs international archaeological projects, mostly in south-eastern Turkey, Greece, Albania and Ethiopia. Her latest book, the Mycenaeans, was co published by the Getty Museum and the British Museum in March 2007 In spring 2000 an archaeological drama began to unfold on the banks of the Euphrates river in Turkery, close to the border with Syria. A small team of French and Turkish archaeologists found a Roman city ont he banks of the river, with mosaics and wall-paintings finer than those of Pompeii. However just beside them was the almost completed Birecik Dam, and the Turks had begun to flood the great reservoir behind it, taking the city under water. This lecture tells the story of the extraordinary archaeological rescue excavation that then took place (racing the waters for four and a half months as they rose at a rate of two feet a day) and the fabulous treasures recovered, including mosaic floors depicting colourful scenes from myth and legend.

Mrs Jackie Marsh-Hobbs is a freelance lecturer, guide, researcher and teacher, working at the Royal Pavilion, Preston Manor and other museums. Jackie initiates, researches and runs tours of Brighton Station, Palmeira Mansions and the Old Ship Hotel and is archivist for Palmeira mansions. Almost a hundred piers were built around our coast, mainly during the Victorian period, but less than half have survived. Enjoy a delightful look at the history of pleasure piers, these elegant structures which are remarkable examples of Victorian engineering. They are diverse in designs, often crowned with exotic palaces or pavilions, places of entertainment, laughter and joy which have given untold pleasure to generations. As such, they are an important part of our social history.

Mary is one of the UK’s foremost experts on contemporary applied arts. An MA graduate of the Royal College of Art, she is a former Director of Contemporary Applied Arts in London. She was awarded an OBE for services to craft in 2002. Mary currently lectures at Sotheby’s Institute and previously lectured at the Royal College of Art, amongst other institutions. An introduction to the variety of textile work being made in the UK today, showing in detail the work of ten leading textile artists, ranging from domestic to large scale site specific-work.

Linda Collins is a lecturer for Historic Royal Palaces and the National Trust. She is also a freelance lecturer for Tate Modern and The National Gallery, London. After WWI and the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, there was rejoicing in Paris, but there was also an uneasy feeling that, once again, this peace might not be everlasting. It seems the people of Paris decided to throw caution to the winds and simply enjoy the peace whilst it lasted. In this lecture we firstly consider the Paris of the time – the eccentric personalities, the visiting American jazz musicians and also the home- grown talent such as Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli. We look at bizarre characters such as Ada ‘Bricktop’ Smith who opened one of the most famous nightclubs of 1920s Paris – Chez Bricktops. The Prince of Wales used to spend the evening there, Cab Calloway and Josephine Baker used to perform there, and Duke Ellington was often in the audience. In the second half of the lecture we consider the five major artistic movements of the era – the essentially French artists making up the École Française, and the mainly foreign artists who formed the École de Paris. We then consider the Purists, the Dadaists and the Surrealists. This lecture contains a lot of art history and sets our artists and their work within their time – and within the lively Paris of the Jazz age.

Frank Woodgate is a Lecturer and Guide at Tate Britain and Tate Modern, and for Tate on cruises. He is a Lecturer at Dulwich Picture Gallery and scriptwriter for the Living Paintings Trust (art for the blind and partially-sighted) From his early finely painted, hyper-realist portraits to his more recent heavily-impastoed expressionistic ones, Lucian Freud has always had the power to disturb and shock. Freud’s best works, which can express extreme emotion and manage to “get under the skin” of his subjects, are those portraits of close friends and family where the emotional involvement becomes tangible. Like his great predecessors Dürer, Rembrandt and Picasso, he has throughout his life also painted self-portraits, some of which have been highly unconventional. At a Christie’s auction in New York in 2007, a work by Freud sold for $34 million, a record price for a living artist. This lecture examines almost seventy years of the life and work of one of Britain’s greatest 20th century artists. Recommended read: Lucian Freud by Sebastian Smee Lucian Freud, The Artist’s eye , The National Gallery Please note that this meeting will start at 2pm to allow time for a short AGM before the lecture

This lecture grows out of Judy's latest book, Jewellery in the age of Queen Victoria: a mirror to the world (2010), which she has spent 30 years researching and 3 years writing, together with Charlotte Gere. The resources of the web have produced a vast amount of information of a type she never dreamt she could find - jewellery with fish scales, or live glowworms, or electrical batteries that enabled a death’s head to gnash its teeth and roll its eyes, and why there was a craze for Colorado beetles in 1877. Queen Victoria played a huge role: what she wore and did had tremendous impact, so what might seem a narrow subject acts as a key to our understanding of the entire Victorian age – its mourning rituals, its politics, its nationalism - all are embodied in its jewellery.

Anna Buruma trained as a theatre designer and worked in the theatre and as a costume designer in television and film. During the 1990s Anna graduated with an art history MA from the Courtauld Institute. Since 1995 she has been the archivist at Liberty and has published various articles on dress and a book on historical costume. As a costume designer, Anna Buruma was fortunate enough to be involved in several rather special period productions ranging from one set in 15th century Florence to one set in 1930s Hollywood. She will talk about helping to make these productions work, showing both the problems and the fun this involved.

Jane Tapley is currently Special Events organiser at the Theatre Royal, Bath. Jane interviews visiting actors, writers and directors and lectures regularly to theatre going societies. Jane is a West country Tourist Board registered Blue Badge guide/Lecturer, author and researcher of theatre programme notes on Hamlet, Sheridan’s The Rivals and Jane Austen’s Emma. Jane hosts and cooks ‘period meals’ in her Regency house in Bath for the Jane Austen Festival and other literary groups. A gourmet’s journey through the origins of festive fare and the traditions that we have adopted and adapted from Georgian and Victorian times. From the turkey stagecoach to the habit of drinking port with Stilton cheese and the placing of the napkin over the left shoulder – all will be explained in this fascinating portrayal of our Christmas customs. Tea with complimentary mince pies and Stollen after the lecture.

Ann Clements has a wide experience of lecturing both at home and abroad. Earlier work includes cataloguing English watercolours and drawings for the Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, and research for the Paul Mellon Foundation. Rex Whistler (1905-1944) was both one of the most gifted artists and designers of the interwar years, and yet one of the most overlooked. His achievements include portraits, book illustrations, theatre designs and murals, such as those at Plas Newydd, Anglesey, and “In Pursuit of Rare Meats” in the restaurant of the Tate Gallery Millbank. Superb draughtsmanship, combined with fantastic imagination, and an innate gift for decoration and wit, are the hallmarks of his style. This richly illustrated lecture will explore the life and work of an undervalued but brilliant artist.

Following service in the Foreign Office, including postings in India and Spain, Oliver Everett was Assistant Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales, 1978-80, and then Private Secretary to Diana, Princess of Wales, 1981-83. He was Librarian in the Royal Library, Windsor Castle, 1984-2002. He is now Librarian Emeritus following his retirement in 2002. Oliver Everett has written articles on the Royal Library and helped with two books on aspects of the Royal Collection and he is advising on a possible history series for television. Oliver Everetty was educated at Cambridge University and did post-graduate work at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, USA and at the London School of Economics. He lectures widely in Britain and abroad and also on cruise ships. George III is unjustly remembered solely as having been mad and having lost the American colonies. The lecture corrects this impression. He was a discerning art collector, patron of the arts and artists, friend of America and Americans and a committed family man. He was also a keen architect who added the future Buckingham Palace to the Royal residences and re-inhabited Windsor Castle. The lecture describes his life, family and wide interests, his patronage of the arts, his important additions to the Royal Collection and his relationship with North America and Americans.

Dr Anne Anderson graduated in Art History and Archeology from Leicester University in 1978 and worked as an archaeologist for 8 years, being elected to the Society of Antiquaries in 1997. 1993-2007 senior lecturer on the Fine Arts Valuation degree courses at Southampton Solent University, specialising in the Aesthetic Movement, Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau and Modernism. Anne is currently a Research Fellow at Exeter University and consultant for Lord Frederic Leighton’s Studio-House, Kensington. Her 2008 exhibition Ancient Landscapes, pastoral visions Samuel Palmer to the Ruralists attracted some 47,000 visitors. She has published books on Roman pottery, Art Deco teapots and Edward Burne-Jones and has been a NADFAS lecturer since 1993.

Eveline Eaton is a free-lance art-historian whose popular lectures and guided tours take her all over Britain, the European continent, the United States, South Africa and Australia. She was educated at London University’s Courtauld Institute (BA Hons) and at theStudy Centre for the History of Fine and Decorative Arts (Diploma). Mrs Eveline Eaton is a freelance lecturer in fine Arts. Suggested reading: * Monographs on Piero by Aronberg-Lavin.

Dr Sally Dormer is lecturer and tutor for the Early medieval Year course at the V & A. Dean of European Studies for two US Universities and a Freelance lecturer for The Art Fund. Study tours for NADFAS, cruises and other tour groups. BA (History) University of Durham; PhD (Medieval manuscript illumination) and MA (Medieval History of Art) Courtauld Institute. Recommended reading: *French painting in the time of the Duc de Berry, By Millard Meiss

Gijs Van Hensbergen studied at the Courtauld Institute. He lectures part time at the University of Bristol and leads tours in Spain and the United States.

David O’Connor is a Lecturer in Art History, University of Manchester, previously Research Fellow in stained glass at York. Chairman of Council for Care of Churches Stained Glass committee and Stained Glass Adviser to the dioceses of Chester and Manchester. Books include catalogue of York Minster glass for Corpus Vitrearum, Medieval Craftsmen: Glass painters (British Museum press) Articles and excavation reports on medieval glass, particularly in northern England, and on Victorian artists like William Morris and Edward Burne -Jones. Suggested reading: * A Guide to Stained Glass in Britain by Painton Cowen published by Michael Joseph

Recommended reading : * Strapless by Deborah Davis, Sutton Publishing (an enthralling tale of art and celebrity, obsession and betrayal!) * The English Face by David Piper, Thames & Hudson

Christopher Bradley is an expert in the history and culture of the Middle East and North Africa. As a professional tour guide and lecturer he has led groups throughout Africa, the Middle East and Asia. He has written extensively on Arabia and is the author of The Discovery Guide to Yemen, Insight Guide to the Silk Road and 2006 Berlitz Guide to Libya. As a photographer he has pictures represented by four photographic libraries. He has a broad range of lecturing experience, including the Royal Geographical Society and the Royal Institute of British Architects. As a film producer and cameraman he has made documentaries for the BBC, National Geographic TV and Channel 4. Recommended reading: * Libya: the lost cities of the Roman Empire by Robert Polidori (Konemann 1999)

The Committee hope you will to join them for complimentary Mince pies and Stollen with tea after the lecture.

Professor Michael Wheeler: Having read English at Magdalene College, Cambridge and taken a doctorate at University College London, Professor Michael Wheeler enjoyed a long career as an academic at Lancaster University, where he masterminded the project to build the Ruskin Library, before moving to Hampshire where he was co-director of Chawton House Library. He is now a freelance writer and lecturer, and a visiting professor at the Universities of Lancaster and Southampton.

Recommended reading: * Lost Treasures of Britain, Roy Strong published by Viking * The Cistercian Abbeys of Britain Edited by David Robinson published by B T Batsford Ltd * The Stripping of the Altars by Eamon Duffy published by Yale