By the middle of the 16th Century dowries in Italy were so expensive that most respectable families could not afford to marry off more than one or two daughters. The rest became nuns, entering convents at puberty and never leaving.  Not surprisingly not all of them went willingly. But along with stories of enforced incarceration and horror, there was also unexpected space for creativity: art, scholarship, writing, drama and music. There was also the possibility of another kind of fulfilment – and power – that of ecstatic union with the spiritual husband, Jesus Christ.  Behind those walls a great deal was going on. 

Our lecturer:  Novelist, broadcaster and critic, Sarah read history at Cambridge, then worked for many years as a cultural journalist in radio and television. She taught renaissance studies at Washington University, St Louis and has lectured around the world at festivals and conferences.  She has published thirteen novels; the last six novels have been set within the Italian Renaissance, including the lives of women and the - true - story of the Borgias.

Antony Gormley’s career spans nearly 40 years, during which time he has made sculpture that explores the relationship of the human body to space, often using his own body as his starting point.  His work has been shown throughout the world, in galleries including the Tate in London and the Hermitage in St Petersburg, but is also often on open display, as public art, such as Another Place at Crosby Beach, near Liverpool. As well as works that he is well known for, like the iconic Angel of the North, this lecture will look at some of his earlier and less well-known works, to give an overall view of the development of his work across his whole career, up to the present.

Our lecturer:  Rosalind Whyte has a BA and MA from Goldsmith’s College, and an MA (Distinction) from Birkbeck College.  She is an experienced guide at Tate Britain, Tate Modern, the Royal Academy and Greenwich. She lectures at the Tate, to independent art societies and on cruises.

Ypres is a mediaeval city and in 1914 was made up of many small old buildings that complemented the Cloth Hall and the cathedral.

The British and Commonwealth troops defended the town stoically for the duration of the war. However, being situated in a salient, Ypres could be fired on from three sides and throughout this period the city was reduced to ruins. By 1918 houses, shops, municipal buildings, schools, the cathedral, churches, and the famous Lakenhalle (Cloth Hall) were gone.  They were nothing more than rubble.

The decision was made to rebuild the city in the old style, and work commenced in 1920.

The lecture will be illustrated with wonderful pre First World War photographs, then of the same buildings after the destruction of the war, and concluding with recent photos after reconstruction. 

A king's favourite who amassed a great art collection.

George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, was the favourite of King James I - who addressed him as ‘my sweet child and wife’ - and subsequently chief minister to King Charles I. Buckingham was a beauty, and he surrounded himself with beautiful things. He enjoyed exquisite clothes, like the fabulous white silk suit encrusted with diamonds that he wore to visit the Queen of France. He was a superb dancer. When he cut capers during a court masque King James startled visiting ambassadors by shouting out ‘By God, George, I love you!’

He was a discerning patron. Inigo Jones renovated his houses. John Tradescant was his garden designer.  In his great house on the Strand he put together a collection of art works as fine as King Charles’s.  At the age of 35 Buckingham was murdered. His collection was scattered, but contemporary inventories allow us to reconstruct it.

Lucy Hughes-Hallett will show you some of the magnificent paintings he owned - the Titians, the Tintorettos, the Veroneses. But Buckingham was not just a collector of old masters: he was also a patron, commissioning boldly innovative portraits of himself from Van Honthorst, Van Dyck and Rubens – images by great artists of a man known as ‘the handsomest-bodied man in Europe’.

Our lecturer:  Lucy’s book on Buckingham, The Scapegoat, won the Plutarch prize for Biography of the Year and the Randy Shilts Award for Gay Non-Fiction, and was short-listed for the Duff Cooper Prize.  A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and of the Historical Association, she is a widely respected critic.  She was Chair of the Judges for the 2021 International Booker Prize.

Patrick’s career with the world-renowned early music consort, The Tallis Scholars, and award-winning group The Cardinall’s Musick, has been dominated by the music of Tallis and Byrd. Cantiones Sacrae, the first ever volume of English printed music, contains some of their most glorious works. Dedicated to Queen Elizabeth I it offers a glimpse into the turbulent political times that both composers lived through. Patrick received a beautiful new scholarly edition of this volume of 32 motets as his leaving present after completing 1000 concerts singing with the Tallis Scholars in 2016. He will explore the lives of the two men who created it and we will hear recordings of many of its treasures.

Our lecturer:  Patrick Craig is a Vicar Choral at St Paul’s Cathedral. For twenty years he combined this with an international career singing over a thousand concerts with The Tallis Scholars. He also sings with the The Cardinall’s Musick. He has conducted concerts for the BBC Proms, the Brighton, Lichfield and Aldeburgh Festivals, and with the City of London Sinfonia.  In 2020, when his singing and conducting work disappeared overnight as a result of the Covid pandemic, as a Cambridge history graduate with a lifelong interest in the arts, Patrick poured all his experience into online presentations which have raised vital funds for the Help Musicians Charity.

This is a replacement for the advertised lecture on Zurbaran, which has had to be cancelled due to illness in the lecturer's family.

Grace Higgens joined the unconventional Bell household in 1920 aged 15 – and, for the next fifty years, propped up the ‘Bloomsbury Set’ in London and at Charleston. Vanessa Bell couldn’t live without her housekeeper’s cooking – or her regular posing as an artist's model. Virginia Woolf tried to poach her for her baking. Grace’s candid diaries paint a picture of bohemia rather different to the official narrative.

Our lecturer:  Tessa Boase is a local freelance journalist, author, lecturer and campaigner.

Zealand Landscape - Johan Thomas Lundbye (Statens Museum for Kunst, Coperhagen)

In the 19th Century, Denmark lost territory and regional power but produced its finest art. This talk looks at how landscape painting was powerfully used to re-imagine a new, smaller Denmark, to create a different sense of the nation and to unite its diverse regions. To those unfamiliar with Danish art, these works will prove a revelation.

Our lecturer: James Vaux is a researcher and lecturer specialising in Nordic arts, culture, design and history. He has presented extensively on diverse topics throughout his career to demanding audiences across the globe, including CEOs and government ministers. His talks now focus on understanding art through its historic, cultural and political context. 

James qualified as a solicitor before switching career, and as a managing director of the international bank Rothschild, he advised governments and corporate organisations worldwide. He set up and ran the bank’s Nordic operations, living and working in Scandinavia and immersing himself in the arts, culture and history of the region. He then gained an MA in Language, Culture and History (Scandinavian Studies) at University College London. He is currently chairman of the Oxford University Society of West Sussex.

When Vasco da Gama set sail from the port of Lisbon in 1497, he was leaving behind one of the great Gothic jewels of Europe, but when he returned he brought with him the world. With the Age of Exploration came wealth, power and an empire that spanned four continents, from Goa to Brazil. This lecture looks at some of the treasures that came to Lisbon, from Japanese namban screens to inlaid bejewelled boxes and carved African ivories, and how the art and particularly the architecture of Lisbon responded in the form of the great Jerónimos Monastery at Belém.

Our lecturer:  Isabelle Kent is an art historian and writer specialising in Spanish art, and she lectures regularly at various universities and museums. She has previously worked as a curatorial fellow at the Wallace Collection and is currently completing a PhD on 17th-century Spanish art at Trinity College, Cambridge. 

Tony Rawlins will play and sing excerpts from some of our favourite carols and try to answer important questions such as: 'who wrote them and when'? ; 'what has an assassinated Prince of Bohemia got to do with Christmas?' and, 'why should Merry Gentlemen rest and not be dismayed?'

The discerning choices which led to the sumptuous collections at the Wallace Collection in London and the Frick in New York is linked by a circle of great patrons, dealers and taste in 'the Gilded Age'. Apart from Sir Richard and Lady Wallace and the American industrialist Henry Clay Frick (1849 - 1919) there was someone who worked for them all: Sir John Murray-Scott, who then left a related fortune to the mother of Vita Sackville-West.  Therein lies a great story.

This lecture aims to bridge the science/art divide using the work of Leonardo da Vinci.  His remarkable anatomical studies reveal so much about his ingenious mind.  The lecture also covers Renaissance scientific exploration

The Castle of Mey was the only property the Queen Mother ever owned and she spent every August there.  As equerry to HM the Queen Mother, from the 1970's, Jeremy Mainwaring-Burton stayed there many times, first in his official role and thereafter as one of her guests.  This talk is based on his personal experience of what it was like to stay at the Castle of Mey.

Mankind has exploited the medicinal properties of plants for thousands of years, yet the role of plants in modern medicine is still underestimated by many people.  This lecture attempts to put the record straight and to show that plant products are used by us all every day to relieve pain and suffering.

This lecture brings together archeology, vulcanology, literary evidence and art to examine what happened to these two towns when destroyed on the same day in AD 79 by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius

Frank Hurley, one of the great photographers of the 20th century, was the expedition's official photographer. His photographs of this epic journey capture the amazing landscapes within which this remarkable human drama played out.

The livery companies have always been jealously mindful of their place within the order of precedence, from the Mercers' Company at the top to the recently founded Art Scholars at number 110.  Timothy Schroder was the former Prime Warden of The Goldsmiths' Company (No. 5) and his lecture explores the origins of this order or precedence.

She was the 'poor little rich girl' who changed the face of 20th century art.  She discovered and nurtured a new generation of artists.  Through collecting not only art, but often the artists themselves, her life was as radical as her collection

Chris shares his experiences of working with nomadic yak herders in the High Pamirs. The textile cultures of these people are explored in this lecture.  Houses made from wool to keep them warm, carpets that tell stories and kilims that store kitchenware - with everything ready to be packed on a yak or camel at a moment's notice.

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

Founded in 1919 in Weimar, the Bauhaus was a progressive art school. Under the directorship of architect Walter Gropius, its students studied a broad range of artistic disciplines. The Bauhaus lasted for a 14-year period, with bases in Weimar, Dessau and Berlin, and during that time it not only came to typify an age but also dictate matters of style for decades to come, through its art, architecture and design. This talk looks at some of the movers and shakers behind this hugely influential movement, including Marianne Brandt, Mies van der Rohe and Marcel Breuer, as well as exploring their legacy in our world and homes today.

It would seem that there has never been fascination in an artist to rival the Dutchman who simply signed his work 'Vincent'. We are all aware of the recent exhibitions and the remarkable prices realised for this humble artist's work. Most of us appreciate the beauty of his efforts but how much to we know about the man himself? This lecture considers exactly why, despite never selling a painting and his committing suicide in poverty, no art historian today denies his genius. There are extraordinary, little know facts to be revealed, while enjoying the remarkable range of his talent. Though seeming so extreme and exceptional, the tragic story of his loveless life is deeply moving and his humanity makes a lasting impression.

The long shadow of the Arts and Crafts Movement has hung over English gardening for most of the twentieth century. The dominance of Miss Jekyll and the enduring popularity of gardens at Hidcote and Sissinghurst have proved to be an enduring legacy. There were always subversive undercurrents of alternative styles and influences which, as the new century gets into its stride, have gained a greater importance and momentum. Post-Modernism, rich in symbolism, has, in gardens like Portrack, Little Sparta and Througham Court, explored the worlds of literature and science; while plants, for centuries an abiding passion of English gardeners, have continued to cast their spells, with newly-discovered plants enriching gardens across the country. The New Perennial movement, originating in Europe, has allied itself to our increasing desire to go organic and the interest in woodland and wild-flower meadows to produce a freer, gentler style of painting, spearheaded by Tom Stuart-Smith, perhaps more in tune with the Twenty-First Century.

With its mosaic of cultures, Mexico has long been a magnet for British travellers. In the nineteenth century, the 'lost' rainforest cities of the Maya were revealed by artist Frederick Catherwood and archaeologist Alfred Percival Maudslay. Eminent twentieth-century literary visitors included D. H. Lawrence and Graham Greene. Mexico holds an especial fascination for Surrealists. Edward James created a vast sculpture garden, with towering concrete forms, in subtropical rainforest. After a spell in an asylum, painter Leonora Carrington found the freedom she needed in Mexico. In our own century, the photographs of Martin Parr focus on street culture, while the fashion designs of Zandra Rhodes echo the vibrant colours and patterns of modern Mexico.

The lecture looks into Bombay’s economic boom of the 1860s. This coincided with the high point of the Gothic Revival: Whilst examining the city’s colonial architecture study is made of the carvings of Bombay’s Jeejeebhoy School of Art whose Architectural Sculpture Department was headed up by John Lockwood Kipling, father of Rudyard Kipling. The story of the project to restore the University of Mumbai’s Gothic Revival buildings provides an opportunity to touch upon philosophical approaches to conservation as well as traditional repair techniques. Account is also given of the work undertaken by those who took time away from their respective Cathedral workshops in the UK to transfer knowledge and skills to their Indian counterparts. Venturing beyond Mumbai to consider key colonial buildings in Delhi, Kolkata (Calcutta) and Yangon (Rangoon).

I put all my genius into my life; I put only my talent into my works."  I examine the public and private life of one of the world's most original and controversial artists. Born into a moderately respectable Dublin family Oscar Wilde recreated himself as an international celebrity and wrote a series of short stories and plays that charmed the world. In 1890 he also published the last of the great myths - The Picture of Dorian Gray. Ten years later Wilde, devoured by his fame, his demons and his decadence, would be dead.    

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

Jazz is one of music’s most important genres: a fascinating blend of rigorous structure, free-wheeling creativity, close-knit ensembles and imaginative improvisation. Drawing on his experience both as musicologist and gigging musician, Sandy can shed light on jazz from the inside. His talk covers the early years of jazz up to the Second World War, and touches on the disparate influences which lay behind the emergence of jazz. Musical illustrations range from the blues, ragtime and the very first jazz recordings through to classics by Louis Armstrong’s Hot Five and the Duke Ellington Orchestra, and the dawn of the Swing Era.

With such a superstar neighbour, it is not surprising that the immediate vicinity of St Paul’s Cathedral contains a rich vein of art. Never straying more than a few steps from St Paul’s, we’ll see a fascinating range of works from the early 1700s to the present day. In this armchair tour we’ll discover monuments, unusual structures, hidden gardens, modern art and the little known ‘dog kennel’ by Christopher Wren. Some of our discoveries are obvious, but many are not.

Every year the Royal Opera House puts on a season of Christmas shows: the Royal Ballet in Nutcracker and Cinderella, the Royal Opera in any piece with a folk tale theme, and either genre if it features snow. How do they cope with all those magic coaches and snow bags? Not to say 17 Sugar Plums, 12 Princes, and the entire Lower Ballet School backstage? This talk takes you into the wings, down the traps and under the stage, as our legendary Christmas Tree is moved on to its lift. Based on interviews and live video clips, the talk is updated every year.

This lecture gets up close and personal with the dynamic east London street art scene. You will see art on the walls, the sides of buildings and sidewalks.....

In this lecture we will look at work by Banksy, quite possibly the most famous living street artist in the world, as well as street art by Ben Eine, whose piece 'Twenty First Century City' was recently presented by Prime Minister David Cameron to President Barack Obama. We will also see work by Shepherd Fairey, the most celebrated street artist working in the US today, known around the world for his Obey and Hope campaigns.

When it comes to Dutch flower paintings the only real expert in the field (often literally) is the insect that lives off the stems and petals. As Harry Berger puts it, 'the caterpillar is connoisseur'. From Meat Stalls to Prince Pies, and Bubbles to Bread Rolls, this lecture will help you to discover the enormous symbolism that is conveyed by simple every day objects, rendered with breath-taking accuracy, conveying really satisfying moral meaning. Examining works by Aertsen, Claesz, Steenwyck, de Heem, van Aeist and Mignonette, we shall explore the corruption of abundance, the mutability and ephemerality of life and the inevitability of death.

Canterbury Cathedral tells the story of a nation. This talk breaks down that complex tale through focusing on three individuals: Thomas Becket, dramatically slain in the cathedral in December 1170, who brought about an enormous pilgrim trade celebrated by Chaucer; King Henry IV, the only king to be buried there, deemed responsible for the Wars of the Roses; and Cardinal Morton, who completed the building by creating the central tower, and whose tomb remains in the crypt, laden with symbols revealing his preoccupations just decades before the Dissolution transformed the land he knew.

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

Was Bosch hallucinating from too much ergot-infected wheat when he created his works over 500 years ago? Monsters and morals, pleasure and sin, heaven and hell; the strange works of Hieronymous Bosch are considered an anomaly in the history of art. They are filled with grotesque images of fantastical creatures surrendering to lust, desire, fantasy and angst. His most famous work, the triptych 'The Garden of Earthly Delights', illustrates the danger of giving in to temptation. It includes a highly inventive hell scene that is still regularly censored today!

By the close of the sixteenth century, the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II had amassed one of the most impressive collections of art, natural artefacts and scientific instruments in Europe at the time. According to one Venetian ambassador, the paintings in his collection alone numbered three thousand. While somewhat reclusive on the political arena, Rudolf wielded his power through culture and the opulent display of wealth at his court in Prague. After a brief introduction to the concept and practice of the Kunstkammer, this lecture will explore the nature of Rudolf's collection, the wide networks of artistic patronage that his collecting enabled across Europe, and examines the group of artists, philosophers, alchemists and esoteric figures who gathered at his court.

Shrines, Stupas, cave temples, colonial grandeur and modernist architecture - a look at the history of this beautiful island through its intriguing art and culture. For much of Sri Lanka's past, Buddhist and Hindu have lived alongside each other peaceably and much of its culture is evidence of this spirit of tolerance and generosity. This talk examines the fascinating story of Sri Lankan art and the original minds, talents and spirits that created this unique visual world.

Discover the eclectic collection and awesome seaside home of Sir Merton and Lady Annie Russell-Coates, situated on the East Cliff of Bournemouth.

Funded by their ownership of the Royal Bath Hotel and astute art dealing, they acquired remarkable Victorian and Edwardian artworks, partly inspired by their world travels.

During the 1880s the City of Glasgow emerged as a major cultural centre rivalling the nation's capital, Edinburgh. New money and a determination to support modern art provided great opportunities for a generation of up-and-coming artists. Now known as the Glasgow Boys, this group included James Guthrie, Atkinson Hornel, George Henry, and the Irish Glasgow Boy John Lavery. Influenced by Japan, and the French Impressionists and Naturalists, they brought a breath of fresh air to Glasgow. They adopted en plein air painting and escaped to the countryside to paint scenes of rural life. They paved the way for 'The Colourists' - Samuel Peploe, John Duncan Ferguson, George Leslie Hunter and Francis Caswell. They also looked to France, especially Matisse and the bright colours of the Fauves, taking Scottish painting into the modern era.

This talk analyses the mercurial rise of Carl Fabergé, the son of a middle class provincial jeweller, in pre-revolution Russia who by his late 30s was producing incomparable jewels and objets d’art for the Imperial Court and bourgeois Moscow and St Petersburg. It discusses Fabergé’s early life and influences, includes photographs of the shops and their workers and is comprehensively illustrated with objets d’art including hardstones, flower studies, works of fantasy, jewellery, objects of function and the famous Imperial Easter Eggs.

The talk also closely parallels the life of Tsar Nicholas II and the tragedy of the Tsarevich Alexei, Rasputin and the events leading to the Revolution and beyond. Workmasters, maker’s marks and the growing problem of fakes on the market are also explored.

Can we really call them art?

It was once thought that art did not exist in any form until around 30,000 BCE when the Cro-Magnons took over from the Neanderthals in the Palaeolithic period. However, a carved and painted figurine found in Morocco in 1999 is now said to be at least 400 thousand years old. Throughout this lecture we will look at some of the very earliest examples of art from across the prehistoric world. From carvings to cave paintings, the innate skills of our 'uncivilised' ancestors will amaze you!

Although Leonardo is commonly associated with Florence, the so-called cradle of the Renaissance, he spent 18 of the most productive years of his life in Milan and produced some of his most iconic work in this city under the patronage of Il Moro, the Duke of Milan – Ludovico Sforza. Under the patronage of Sforza, Leonardo would not only find fame for the first time, but also the freedom and space to indulge his interest in nature, art and science. This lecture will start by tracing Leonardo’s early years as an apprentice in the workshop of the Florentine Renaissance Master, Andrea del Verrocchio; leading up to those 18 years of sublime production in the city of Milan. The lecture will look at Leonardo’s experiments, his growing fascination with human dissection, which begins in Milan, the protracted and complex episode of the ‘Madonna of the Rocks’, and his relationship with Ludovico Sforza, the fruits of which would result in iconic images such as ‘the Lady with the Ermine’ (Cecilia Gallerani, c.1491) and the mysterious ‘Portrait of a Woman’ (Belle Ferronniére, about 1493-4). From the genesis of the ‘Last Supper’, traced in preliminary drawings and sketches, to the latest discovery of the previously mis-attributed Leonardo known as the ‘Salvator Mundi’ shown in the recent high-profile National Gallery Exhibition, this lecture takes us on a journey, as we travel with the itinerant genius, from humble beginnings in the small town of Vinci to eventual fame as the Master of Design - Maestro del Disegno at the Court of Milan.

This lecture looked at the many changes in Klimt's life,  his rejection of public pomp and the impact on his style and works.  Klimt was one of the most prominent figures in Viennese fin de siecle, creating paintings whose sexual themes and bold use of colour and gold shocked an unsuspecting populace.  Less is known about his early years as a muralist.

An overview of the most significant ballet and opera productions at imperial St. Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theatre during its most glorious period, highlighting the composers, directors, singers and conductors who helped to build its international reputation. Illustrated with rare period photographs, set designs and historic recordings.

The young artist Aubrey Beardsley created original and shocking images that came to define the 1890s. His astonishingly assured, linear drawings, influenced by Japanese prints and ancient Greek vase paintings, were considered by many to be grotesque, decadent and erotic. This lecture tells the story of Beardsley’s short life and brilliant work.

The most Infamous Family in History?

Murder, poison, corruption and incest: all perfect ingredients for sensational popular culture. But in an age known for its brutality and church corruption were the Borgias really so bad? This illustrated lecture reveals the story of the real family that dominated the Papacy and Italian politics during the last decade of the 15th century: the charismatic womaniser, Pope Alexander VI, living inside his sumptuously decorated apartments (see right); the comet-style career of his son, Cesare, cardinal, general, employer of Da Vinci and the model for Niccoló Machiavelli’s The Prince (himself a major character in the history); and the journey of Lucrezia Borgia from “the greatest whore in Rome” to a devout and treasured duchess of the city of Ferrara. Sometimes truth is more intoxicating than myth.

From Essex Punk Potter to Superstar National Treasure.  Widely known for his outlandish appearances dressed as his feminine alter ego, Claire, Grayson Perry is now a core part of the art establishment. A Turner Prize winner, Royal Academician, popular broadcaster and colourful character, he’s possibly one of the world’s best known contemporary artists. His works of ceramics, textiles, tapestries and prints are highly sought after. Often controversial, he tackles difficult subjects in a poignant yet witty way and holds a mirror up to society. This talk will examine Grayson Perry’s work, his exciting and thought-provoking exhibitions, and the unique character inside the flamboyant frocks.

6,000 Englishmen in France for 18 days – how did they do it?

In June 1520 Henry VIII and Francis I meet to ratify an Anglo-French alliance and celebrate the betrothal of Henry’s daughter Mary to the Dauphin. The two handsome ‘Renaissance Princes’ are in their 20’s with similar reputations in military prowess, sport and patrons of the arts.  Both have imperial ambitions and are eager to display themselves as magnificent noblemen and warrior kings.  Each brings an entourage of 6,000 to a field south of Calais for 18 days of various events and entertainments staged to display the skill and splendour of each king and country.

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

3,217 horses shipped across the ‘Narrow Sea’ to Calais; a vast quantity of wood sourced from Flanders and floated along the coast; a huge temporary palace is built on stone foundations with brick and timber-framed walls reaching to 40 feet.  Royal palaces were virtually emptied of their silver, gold, tapestries and furniture to decorate the temporary palace, other principal tents and a chapel (with an organ); gold and silver cloth, velvet and sables were imported to ‘dress and impress’.

The Boy King behind the greatest treasures ever found.

Through five thousand years of history the name of one apparently insignificant boy stands out in Egyptian history above all others. But who really was he? Hieroglyphics have only comparatively recently been rediscovered, opening up so much meaning from the desert sands. This lecture puts Tutankhamun in the context of Egyptian civilization, considers all that is known about him and the great legacy of his discovery. It also tells the remarkable story of that discovery in 1922 and illustrates many of the most fabulous finds in what was perhaps history's greatest hoard. But it also asks when it is appropriate to dig up the remains of the deceased and what has really been learned from so much research. It is hard for the modern mind to conceive such apparent faith and commitment and perhaps equally hard to resist ‘dissecting’ everything to find some ‘inner truth’. What was actually found is here revealed.

Peter Medhurst celebrates Christmas by performing and discussing a range of Christmas pieces drawn from the Middle Ages down to the twentieth century with music to include: The Sussex Mummers’ Christmas Carol, The Coventry Carol, moments from Handel’s Messiah, and JS Bach’s Chorale Prelude 'In dulci Jubilo’  BWV 279.

Peter appears in the UK and abroad as a 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.

It will describe the victories over the Persians that the Parthenon was built to celebrate.  There is a thrilling narrative and much to say about the Temple of Zeus at Olympia, a rival to the Parthenon which contains work by the same master, Pheidias.

One of the world’s most popular athletic events commemorates Pheidippides’s epic run from the battlefield of Marathon to his native Athens. Apart from the amazing courage of Pheidippides, why remember a battle that took place over two and a half thousand years ago? Since the 19th century historians have argued that it was a crucial event, one that had decided ‘the whole future of human civilisation’. As John Stuart Mill put it, ‘the Battle of Marathon, even as an event in English history, is more important than the Battle of Hastings’. Rupert re-creates the background and the battle itself in thrilling detail. He looks at the various ways in which ancient Athens has influenced our art and culture, and argues that Marathon was, indeed, the battle that saved ‘Western Civilisation’.

Formerly a senior academic manager of the Bodleian Library, Justin is Secretary of the Colloquium of Learned Societies at Oxford. He is a published historian; among his impending works are an edition of Samuel Pepys’s naval papers, and a study of the Admiralty buildings in London, and he is researching maritime art in the National Trust collections.

For millennia mankind has been fascinated by the sea, marvelling at its awesome power and ethereal beauty, and utilising the coastal sea-roads and the great oceans for travel and trade. Artists have depicted the sea in all its moods and our involvement with it, and the range of subjects in marine art is wide, including seascapes, ship portraits, naval battles, strange sea creatures imagined and real, portraits of naval heroes and explorers, the seaside as a location for recreation and pleasure, and the reality of the seafarer’s life. In this talk Justin introduces unfamiliar and well-known examples from around the world and across the ages.

Since 2014 Timothy Walker has been a college lecturer and tutor at Somerville College Oxford. Gardens are often thought of a place where science and art meet on equal terms. His lectures investigate this relationship.

The lens through which the discussion is focused will be the 400-year-old Oxford Botanic Gardens and gardens created by the lecturer and his wife. However, other examples of gardens from around Britain and other parts of the world will be included to illustrate the answers to the questions.

Mark’s career has been spent in education and training at home and abroad. He has lectured at Exeter College on Medieval and Tudor history, St Mark's & St John's University College, Plymouth, and at Bath University on Anglo Saxon and medieval England. Currently runs two small companies providing training and study breaks.

England’s Tudor century was an explosive one.  It transformed or swept away much of its medieval inheritance for new worlds - geographical, political, religious and cultural.  This lecture focuses on the cultural: Holbein’s portraits, in particular his drawings from the Royal collection; the miniatures of Hilliard and Oliver – ‘England’s greatest contribution to the art of painting during the Renaissance’ (Roy Strong); music from the recently rediscovered Nicholas Ludford to the later works of Tallis, Byrd and Elizabeth’s Madrigalists

David Wright has been a wine retailer, importer and distributor for 30 years. In that time, He has publicly presented tastings and talks on wine to trade and private audiences. These have taken the form of wine ‘tastings’ or charity events where a particular subject is presented and wines tasted. 

A Brief Story of Wine, a great subject, is full of rich evidence, going back 7,000 years, in the form of paintings, decorated drinking vessels, buildings and literature that contribute to the story.

Barry Venning is currently Associate Lecturer with the Open University and lectures on a freelance basis for The Arts Society, Christie's Education and other organisations.

The French painter Girodet, spoke for all those who worked for Napoleon when he said “We were all conscripted, but not all of us wore the uniform”. Bonaparte’s brilliant exploits in the Revolutionary Wars attracted artists from the earliest stages in his career and he made systematic use of art as propaganda to reveal himself as soldier, peacemaker, lawgiver and the possessor of semi-divine imperial power. He was fortunate to have at his command the greatest artists of the era, including Jacques Louis David, Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, Antonio Canova and the lesser known Charles-Antoine, Baron Gros, who produced some of the most astounding Napoleonic pictures. The lecture concludes by looking at the less flattering images of Napoleon that were produced in Britain and Germany.

As the Museum’s Curator, Jacob is responsible for co-organising its temporary exhibition programme and overseeing loans from the Museum’s extraordinary collections to organisations such as the Palace of Versailles and Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Occupying a pair of early Georgian townhouses nestled in historic Greenwich, the story of how The Fan Museum came to fruition dovetails into the multifaceted history of the handheld fan. From an especially rare Elizabethan-period embroidered folding fan to contemporary examples decorated by street artists, discover some of the key objects within the Museum’s extraordinary collections which encompass more than 5,000 fans and related objects dating from the eleventh century to the present day and gathered from most parts of the world.

With an MA in History of Art from Edinburgh, PhD from the Warburg Institute, London University and 40 years' experience as a lecturer, Chantal has taught at Sotheby's Institute of Art on the MA in Fine and Decorative Arts since 1989, and as a freelance lecturer for a number of societies in London, Italy and America

What skills did it take for a woman to become a painter in 17th c Europe? Artemesia Gentileschi (1593-1654) was by no means the only woman painter of her period, but she is a rarity, and she also ranks amongst the greatest painters of the 17th century. Her career spanned a time of great change in Italian taste, from the power and earthiness of Caravaggio, to the more elegant classicism of Reni and Domenichino. Her family connections meant that she moved between a number of different centres in Europe - Rome, Florence, Naples and London, and her work reflects the different tastes of these centres

Ian Cockburn is an art historian with a BA (Birkbeck College) in art history and an MA (Courtauld Institute of Art) in medieval Spanish art history. He is a specialist in the nearly 800 years of Moorish occupation and Christian reconquest of medieval Iberia.

The Alhambra of Granada, the Great Mosque of Cordoba and the Alcazar of Seville are the three most impressive monuments to the architectural creativity of the Moors in Spain, but there are many other examples worthy of mention too.

For the series Downton Abbey, Andrew was commissioned to produce many jewels for the main characters, and this inspired him to create a talk based on Downton and the changing styles of the time portrayed.

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

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

He made no discoveries like those of his celebrated rivals: although undoubtedly a draughtsman of exceptional talent he made no great progress in the fields of anatomy, science and construction nor did he share the wide-ranging talents which Leonardo and Michelangelo demonstrated in so many disciplines. Furthermore, his career was short-lived as he died tragically young, aged 37.

The surprising title of this talk reflects the general opinion of modern historians. But these discoveries are little known, partly because medieval and later historians of the time tell a quite different story. It used to be thought that the Bayeux Tapestry was commissioned by Queen Matilda, wife of William the Conqueror, and was produced by French needlewomen, to commemorate the Norman conquest of Britain.

It is now generally agreed that the tapestry was commissioned by Odo, William’s brother, and that it was made in Canterbury.

Deborah Devonshire, the youngest of the Mitford sisters and wife of the 11th Duke of Devonshire, was hefted by marriage to one of Europe’s greatest treasure houses, Chatsworth.

In the second half of the 20th century, in partnership with her husband, she imbued it with a spirit, elegance and sense of welcome that transformed it from being the worn-out survivor of decades of taxation, war and social change into one of the best-loved, most-emulated and popular historic houses, gardens and estates in the country. With responsibility for Lismore Castle and Bolton Abbey as well, no wonder her passport stated her profession as ‘housewife’.

MR SIMON SELIGMAN

Studied art and architectural history at Warwick University, including a semester in Venice. Also Graduate of the Attingham Summer school. From 1991 until 2010, worked at Chatsworth, in a variety of roles, latterly as Head of Communications. Has lectured about Chatsworth, the Devonshire Collection and associated topics, throughout the UK and on several US tours (including the Metropolitan Museum and the National Gallery of Art). Gave numerous public presentations and interviews with the late Deborah, Dowager Duchess of Devonshire. Alongside his lecturing, working part time for John Ruskin’s charity the Guild of St George, a trustee of three arts festivals, and a Life Coach in private practice.

Lecture Cancelled

Murder, poison, corruption and incest: all perfect ingredients for sensational popular culture. But in an age known for its brutality and church corruption were the Borgias really so bad?

This lecture reveals the real family that dominated the Papacy and Italian politics during the last decade of the 15th century: the charismatic figure of Pope Alexander VI, living inside his sumptuously decorated apartments, the career of his son, Cesare, cardinal, general, employer of Da Vinci and the model for Machiavelli’s The Prince, and the journey of Lucrezia Borgia from “the greatest whore in Rome” to a devout and treasured duchess of the city Ferrara. Sometimes truth is more intoxicating than myth.

Lecture Cancelled

In June 1520 Henry VIII and Francis 1 meet to ratify an Anglo-French alliance and celebrate the betrothal of Henry’s daughter Mary to the Dauphin.

The two handsome ‘Renaissance Princes’ are in their 20’s with similar reputations in military prowess, sport and patrons of the arts. Both have imperial ambitions and are eager to display themselves as magnificent nobleman and warrior kings. Each brings an entourage of 6,000 to a field south of Calais for 18 days of various events and entertainments staged to display the skill and splendour of each King and country.

Lecture Cancelled

England’s Tudor century was an explosive one. It transformed or swept away much of its medieval inheritance for new worlds – geographical, political, religious and cultural. This lecture focuses on the cultural:

Holbein’s portraits, in particular his drawings from the Royal collection

The miniatures of Hilliard and Oliver – ‘England’s greatest contribution to the art of painting during the Renaissance’ (Roy Strong)

Music from the recently rediscovered Nicholas Ludford to the later works of Tallis, Byrd and Elizabeth’s Madrigalists

Lecture Cancelled

Best known for his outlandish appearances dressed as his feminine alter ego, Claire, Grayson Perry is now a core part of the art establishment, a Turner Prize winner, Royal Academician, popular broadcaster and colourful character. He’s possibly one of the world’s best-known contemporary artists. His works of ceramics, textiles, tapestries and prints are highly sought after. Often controversial, he tackles difficult subjects in a poignant yet witty way and holds a mirror up to society.

This talk will examine Grayson Perry’s work, his exciting and thought-provoking exhibitions, and the unique character inside the flamboyant frocks.

The opening of trade routes across Eurasia by land and sea enabled the movement of peoples, along with their cultures, arts, beliefs, technical skills and aesthetics. This was to have a profound influence on the arts of China, introducing new forms, designs, and materials, along with the craftsmen to pass on their skills.

This lecture will look at several examples of masterpieces of art from China in the first millennium AD to illustrate this influence and show how the arts of China were greatly enriched by its Silk Road links.

We all know Van Gogh. We know the Sunflowers, Starry Night, his self-portraits, the bright prismatic colour applied with energetic strokes of the brush. We know his life was not an easy one.

But why is he so famous? What makes him possibly the best-known artist in the world? Why does every gift shop in every gallery have a Vincent gift on display? What makes his paintings instantly recognizable? His failure to find sales or success during his lifetime, his suffering leading to self-mutilation & later to suicide at the age of 37 are all well known. What happened during his short life, and afterwards to transform him into the world’s best-loved artist?