A review of three future exhibitions, two of which are planned as future visits.

Monet and Time (in Apr 27)

Painting the Riviera (17 Nov 26)

Frida - The Making of an Icon

The three lectures forming our Special Interest Day study the great developments in History, Culture and Architecture of three influential countries of central Europe within the Hapsburg Empire. We will learn more of Prague, Budapest and Vienna together with composers, writers, architects and painters

Gavin Plumley is a writer and broadcaster. He appears on BBC Radio 3 and 4, and contributes to newspapers, magazines and opera and concert programmes worldwide. He lectures widely about the culture of Central Europe. Recent appearances include Klimt and The Kiss in cinemas worldwide, and talks for the Hay and Cheltenham Literature Festivals, the Royal Opera House, the National Gallery, the National Trust, the National Theatre, the British Museum and the V&A. His first book, A Home for All Seasons, is out now.

Sicily - a Cultural Crossroads Study Day

Sicily has long been the crossroads between Europe,North Africa and the Middle East. This Special Interest Day looks at the rich and varied cultural influences brought to the island by Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantines, Visigoths and Islamic tribes from North Africa. It goes on to explore how these were woven together by the Normans during their remarkably enlightened rule, which saw Palermo become one of the most important cities in Europe. 

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

Three Lectures:Images of the British Empire, Imperial Calcutta and Art and Architecture; the Art of Rabindranath

British Empire and Imperial India Study Day

How did the British view themselves and their subjects in the era of imperialism? How did imperial subjects view the British? This study day considers these questions by exploring a range of images, buildings, objects and art forms from across the British Empire. Beginning with a broad view of the empire and imperial art in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, we will go on to focus more closely on imperial India. We will consider the arts and architecture of the vibrant capital city of Calcutta, the ‘second city’ of the British Empire throughout the nineteenth century. We will then take a detailed look at the life and art of one of India’s cultural giants, Rabindranath Tagore. 

Dr John Stevens is a Research Associate at SOAS, University of London, and a member of academic staff at the SOAS South Asia Institute. His PhD in History is from University College London. He teaches British Imperial history, Indian history and Bengali language, and is a regular visitor to India and Bangladesh. He publishes widely in the fields of British and Indian history. His biography of the Indian guru Keshab Chandra Sen – Keshab: Bengal’s Forgotten Prophet - was published by Hurst and Oxford University Press in 2018. He appears regularly in the Indian media, and was a guest on BBC Radio Four’s In Our Time, discussing the poet and artist Rabindranath Tagore.

TICKETS on sale at our February 8th meeting

This lecture looks at the enormous changes in our homes over a hundred year period, encompassing aspects of household taste from Victorian clutter to the psychedelic ‘throw away’ furnishings of the 1970s. Although in many ways light-hearted, the lecture examines how social upheaval, War and technological advances transformed our houses. From the 1880s, when each interior was governed by strict convention and the home was regarded as a shrine to family life, we look at how change gradually came about. The coming of electricity and central heating altered appearance and comfort and other major developments in design all changed our interiors. 

Matthew Williams

Holds degrees from the Universities of Nottingham and Manchester and is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. A recognised expert on the work of the Victorian designer William Burges, Matthew was Curator of Cardiff Castle for nearly 30 years. His most recent  publication is a major book Cardiff Castle and the Marquesses of Bute, published in 2019. A long-standing member of The Arts Society, Matthew has been a programme secretary and a chairman before becoming an accredited lecturer in 2001.

Chris Aslan gave us a facsinating normal lecture in 2020 about the Silk Road and how for centuries it was used to move textiles and spices to Europe.

This Study Day will expand on this and concentrate on three textiles: Wool, Cotton and Silk. We will explore their impact on the history, economy, geography, politics and fashions of Central Asia and the wider world

Chris Aslan was born in Turkey and spent his childhood in war-torn Beirut. After two years at sea and then three years at Leicester University, he moved to Uzbekistan to establish a UNESCO workshop reviving 15th century carpet designs and embroidery. He then spent three years in Tajikistan training yak herders to comb their yaks for their cashmere-like down.Next came two years in Kyrgyzstan establishing a wood-carving workshop in the world's largest natual walnut forest.

In comparison he is now settled in the UK writing and lecturing however he still guides tour groups to the region.

As of 6th February very few places remain

Twentieth Century Treasures... three sessions with breaks for morning coffee and lunch

First Session is an Introduction to Mid Century Modern. The antiques market has changed dramatically and sometimes pieces made in the 1970's can fetch many times more than a piece made in the 1770's. This practical and inspirational lecture looks at furniture, glass, lighting and metalware, identifies key designs and designers and then examines the revolutionary design movments they began.

Second Session is The Birth of Studio Glass. The 1960's saw a revolution in the way glass was made,opening it up to artists across the world. We will look at the historical context and genesis of the movement and in particular examine the work of six key glass artists from the UK and US.

Third Session after lunch is a Mini Antique Roadshow. Attendees are asked to bring in their own examples of twentieth century glass and ceramics.

Mark Hill studied History of Art & Architecture (BA Hons), and began his career as a porter and Junior Cataloguer at Bonhams, before moving to Sotheby's where he was a Specialist in the Collectors' Department. Became director of an internet company forming and running a ground-breaking deal with eBay Live Auctions. Was co-author of the internationally published 'Collectables Price Guide'  with Judith Miller from 2002-17. Founded his own publishing company in 2005 and has since published over 12 books on specialist subjects in 20th century design and decorative arts. A Miscellaneous expert on the Antiques Roadshow since 2007, and has co-presented three primetime factual TV series on antiques and collecting for BBC2. An auctioneer running 20th century design auctions in partnership with Dawsons Auctioneers. Has lectured across the world, including at the V&A in London, and contributed to many newspapers, magazines, radio and TV programmes. A Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Arts Scholars and a Freeman of the City of London.

Twentieth Century Treasures (Postponed)

This study day was originally scheduled for 1st March 2021 but has had to be postponed to 24th March 2022.

Full details can be found against the new date on this website

A chronological history of the outstanding and diverse Devonshire collection told through the interests, characters and tastes of its collectors over 16 generations, from Elizabethan beginnings to the current Duke and Duchess of Devonshire and their family. Each generation has left its mark on the collections, whether as connoisseurs, passionate and enthusiastic patrons and acquirers, fortuitous marriage, or the occasional benign indifference, and it is fascinating to see how these diverse personalities, linked only by family, have contributed to what is now considered one of the finest surviving family collections in Europe.

This story also features outstanding work by artists as varied as Rembrandt, Reynolds, Canova and Freud, and comes right up to date with the current Duke and Duchess's passion for modern British sculpture. The lecture includes Old Master drawings, fine books and archives, silver and rare jewels, portraits ancient and modern, sculpture spanning 2000 years of European culture, furniture by outstanding cabinet makers and other unique treasures.

Since the 1950s, Chatsworth and its collections have undergone a renaissance under the leadership of first  the 11th, and now the 12th, Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. This lecture paints a portrait of Devonshire’s treasure house in the modern age, illustrating the extensive recent decorative and furnishing renovations in the house and the restoration of historic interiors, stone work and works of art. The lecture also includes work by modern and contemporary artists in the collection at Chatsworth including Lucian Freud, Elisabeth Frink, David Hockney and David Nash, to Richard Long, Allen Jones, Michael Craig-Martin and Edmund de Waal.

Simon Seligman studied art and architectural history at Warwick University, including a semester in Venice.He is also a Graduate of the Attingham Summer school. From 1991 until 2010,he  worked at Chatsworth  in a variety of roles but latterly as Head of Communications. He 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). He has given numerous public presentations and interviews with the late Deborah, Dowager Duchess of Devonshire.

 Publications include written or edited guidebooks and articles for and about Chatsworth.

Our Study Day will take place in our usual Lecture venue, Lechlade Memorial Hall.  This year we are exploring the connections between music and painting.  It has long been recognised that the worlds of the visual and aural arts link with extraordinary power when one medium inspires the other. These lectures, which spans over 600 years of the arts, analyse and discuss a range of related works, bringing together the music of Martinu with the frescoes of Piero della Francesca, Botticelli’s Birth of Venus with Respighi’s Trittico botticelliano, Böcklin’s Isle of the Dead with Rachmaninoff’s symphonic poem and Poet Mondrian’s Broadway Boogie Woogie with the piano playing of Albert Ammons. 

Peter Medhurst 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.

Lunch will be served between lectures.  Details of timings, ticket prices etc, to follow

Buscot Park was built by Edward Loveden Loveden between 1779 and 1783.  The house is a dignified example of the late eighteenth-century taste for Italianate country houses, inspired by the architecture of the great Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio.  A subsequent owner, Robert Tertius Campbell, died bankrupt in 1887, having spent his large fortune on turning Buscot into a model agricultural estate.

Buscot was then sold to Alexander Henderson, later the 1st Lord Faringdon, a city financier of exceptional ability.  With catholic tastes in art, he bought paintings by Rembrandt, Murillo, Reynolds and Burne-Jones, establishing a solid core to the Faringdon Collection.

Gavin Henderson, the 1st Lord Faringdon's grandson and heir, was also an enthusiastic collector of pictures, and he added the bulk of the pictures to be seen at Buscot today.  He also remodelled the house by removing the heavy Victorian additions that had compromised the original design, as well as building the two balancing pavilions that stand to the east and west of the house.

In 1956 the house and grounds were given to the National Trust.  Its wonderful contents, known as the Faringdon Collection, remain the property of the Lords Faringdon, who administer the estate on behalf of the National Trust.  It is the Faringdon Collection which we will be studying on this Day of Special Interest.  The day will consist of lectures given in the Buscot House theatre by the Curator of the Faringdon Collection, Roger Vlitos.  We will then have a tour of house and its beautiful Peto garden.

Lunch, provided by Sadlers of Faringdon, will be served in the marquee attached to the Buscot House tea room.   Tickets, to include lunch will be £36, and will be on sale in the New Year.  More details to follow, but this is a rare opportunity to study in detail, and with the help of an expert, this marvellous local collection.

Please note: the 17th April is a Tuesday, NOT, as listed on our Programme, a Wednesday. 

Our Study Day for 2017 will be an exploration of how artists, including Canaletto, Turner, Monet, Whistler and Stanley Spencer, have portrayed the River over the last 500 years.  It is also a social history of the Thames, the docks, London, pleasure etc.  We will study literature which refers to the river, looking at the works of Dickens and at much loved stories such as The Wind in the Willows.   The influence of the River on composers will also be considered. 

Andrew Davies is an Extra-Mural Tutor for London, Essex and The Open University.  He is the author of 9 books, includingThe East End Nobody Knows and is a  frequent contributor to radio and television.  He  has lectured all over the world and often organises walks to complement his lectures.

The Study Day will take place at our usual venue and the cost of the ticket will cover coffee on arrival and lunch.  More details later!

Jeanne Dolmetsch is the granddaughter of Anrold Dolmetsch, the pioneer of the Early Music Renaissance. She was trained by her father, Carl Dometsch, to play recorder, viol and harpsichord and studied violin and pianoforte the Royal Academy of Music. Jeanne is a specialist in the interpretation and performance of 16th, 17th and 18th century music and has given concerts and lecture recitals worldwide. The day will start with coffee and will include lunch. Cost of tickets to follow.

Rosamund Bartlett is a writer, scholar and translator who has lectured on Russian and European cultural history at universities, museums, and public institutions around the world. The author of several books, including "Wagner and Russia", "Chekhov: Scenes from a Life", and "Tolstoy: A Russian Life", which was longlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize, she has a particular interest in the intersection between politics, history and the arts. Well known as a translator, her new translation of "Anna Karenina" will be published by Oxford World's Classics in August this year. Rosamund is a much sought after NADFAS lecturer and we are fortunate that she is available to lead this Study Day. Please note that the date of this event has been changed from March to the 2nd April 2015. Tickets will be on sale from January.