This Study Day will explore key aspects of the arts of Japan and the history of their development.  Early contact with China, contrasting aristocratic and military tastes and the growth of townsmen’s culture in the Edo period all contributed to distinctive visual trends and techniques. An exploration of the impact of Zen Buddhism on Japanese culture, particularly in the areas of gardening and the tea ceremony, will convey further insights into the Japanese aesthetic as it has evolved through the ages. Finally, the Study Day will trace the cultural interaction between Japan and the West with the renewal of trading links in the late 19th century and the influence of different traditions of visual art on both Japanese and Western painters.

Lecture 1: Highlights of Japanese Art

An introduction to the arts of Japan through the ages, including painting, sculpture and the decorative arts and contrasting aristocratic and popular tastes.

Lecture 2: The Art of the Japanese Garden

A visual tour of some of Japan’s most famous gardens and an introduction to the history and aesthetic development of garden design in Japan.

 Lecture 3:  Japanese Art and the West

The story of the artistic relationship between Japan and the West, from the 16th century Namban screen paintings of Portuguese traders and missionaries in Nagasaki to the discovery of ukiyo-e prints and their influence on 19th century French Impressionist and Post-Impressionist painters.

Professor Marie Conte-Helm is a long-established Arts Society Lecturer with a BA in History of Art and an MA in Asian Art and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. She was Director General of the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation from 1999-2011 and has held senior academic posts at various UK universities. She has most recently served as Executive Director of the UK-Japan 21st Century Group, and as a member of the Board of Governors of the University for the Creative Arts. She is widely published and has lectured throughout the UK and abroad. She is also an experienced cruise speaker and a Resident Historian with Viking Ocean Cruises, lecturing on many aspects of Asian Art and East-West Encounters. She was awarded an OBE in the 2011 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to UK-Japan educational and cultural relations and the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette by the Government of Japan in 2019.

This study day comprises three lectures: the first looks at the cultural and social context of the explosion of culture in Vienna at the turn of the last century, while the second and third provide concentrated case studies of the artist Gustav Klimt and the composer Gustav Mahler.

1. How did the fin de siècle happen?

At the turn of the last century, Vienna was the capital of a vast empire and one of the most exciting artistic laboratories in the world. It produced painters such as Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele, architects like Otto Wagner and Adolf Loos, the psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, composer such as Johann Strauss and Arnold Schoenberg and the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. Looking at these and others figures in context, this introductory talk asks how and why the City of Dreams became a cultural hotbed around 1900.

2. Gustav Klimt: Imperial Muralist turned Radical Painter

Klimt was one of the most prominent figures of the Viennese fin de siècle, creating paintings whose erotic themes and bold use of colour and gold shocked an unsuspecting populace. Less is known about his early years as a muralist for the grand municipal buildings and royal and aristocratic palaces of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This lecture looks at the many changes in Klimt’s life, his rejection of public pomp and the impact on his style and works.

3. Gustav Mahler: Conductor and Composer

In 1897, the year the Secession was founded, Gustav Mahler became music director of the Court Opera House in Vienna. Although it was an imperial and royal institution, the theatre would undergo a transformatory shift in its work under Mahler’s aegis. Yet he was even more daring in his own musical vision, creating symphonies that embraced the world and all the sounds within it. The final talk of the day looks at the breadth of Mahler’s vision, as well as the sadness that often trailed his achievements.  

The Speaker

The lecturer is Gavin Plumley, 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 and recent appearances include Klimt and The Kiss in cinemas worldwide, 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. 

The schedule for the day

10.00 - 10.30       Arrival,  Coffee & Biscuits available
10.30 - 11.30       1st lecture
11.30 approx        Comfort Break 
11.45 - 12.45       2nd lecture
13.00                    Lunch (Included)
14.00-15.00         3rd lecture

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The lectures take a broadly chronological approach with a few detours to explore particular themes.

The first lecture entitled "Blue Note to Beatles" starts with early record sleeves in the jazz era of Blue Notes records, progressing through the 1950s with Elvis Presley and into the 1960s with the iconic covers of the Rolling Stones and the Beatles, with particular reference to Sergeant Pepper and Abbey Road. In this talk, Rupert takes time to analyse the basic purpose of a record cover in terms of marketing, conveying information about the music and musicians, and adding a visual element to  the listening experience.

The second lecture called "Hipgnosis and the Heyday of Album Art" moves into the 70s with the covers of Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin produced by the famous design collective, Hipgnosis. It would also take in the album art of Roger Dean for the group Yes (among others) and explore punk and other strands of album design in the heyday of the form represented by such artists as David Bowie and Roxy Music.  Finally, it will deal with the decline of album art in the 80s resulting from the advent of MTV and CDs

The third lecture, The Vinyl Countdown, explores the contribution made by specific well-known visual artists and photographers to album art, featuring the work, among others, of Andy Warhol, Richard Hamilton, Salvador Dali and Rene Magritte. It looks at musical artists who came from the background of visual art, such as Joni Mitchell. It notes the large number of pop musicians who came from art school backgrounds.  Finally, it charts the current revival of album art with the renewed popularity of vinyl records and Album Art.

Rupert Dickens is an art historian based in south London with a special interest in Dutch and Flemish 16th and 17th century painting. He works at the Wallace Collection as a guide conducting public and private tours and lecturing on aspects of the collection. Rupert has accompanied groups on art-themed tours to the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Austria and Italy. He has lectured to large audiences on subjects as diverse as the game of chess in art and Madame de Pompadour’s artistic patronage in 18th century France. He studied art history at Birkbeck College before undertaking a Masters in Dutch Golden Age Studies at University College London. Before that Rupert had a 26-year career as a BBC journalist ending as an editor in radio news. 

To Book a Place Click Here 

Sue Geddes - 01920 318674
                           07754 072148 

Session One: Sorolla’s Valencia

In his day the Valencian painter Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida (1863-1923) was acclaimed for his dexterous representation of people and places under the bright sunlight of his native land.  In recent exhibitions held in London and Milan, the public have been enraptured by his stunning images of sun-drenched Valencian beaches. A lengthy sojourn in Paris in 1885 exposed him to modern painting. He created a high-chrome version of Impressionism, with many paintings lit and composed like snapshots.

Session Two: Sorolla: painting quickly out of doors

His art looks fast; Sorolla was known to be quick, not least because he normally worked outdoors, even when painting on vast canvases. 

Session Three: Sorolla: Visions of Spain

Commissioned by Archer Huntington, the American millionaire and keen advocate of Hispanic society,  Sorolla attempted to capture the spirit of the Iberian Peninsula in his monumental series The Provinces of Spain finally completed in 1919. Each panel celebrated the culture of a region, the panoramas composed of throngs of people in local dress and engaged in different activities. Despite the immensity of the canvases, Sorolla painted all but one directly outdoors.  An advocate of pictorial realism, inevitably Sorolla’s reputation was eclipsed by Cubism and Abstraction.  But recently Sorolla has been recuperated.  In his centenary year 2023, Sorolla was celebrated with exhibitions in Valencia and Madrid.

Scott Anderson 

Scott trained as an archaeologist at Leicester University and was a professional archaeologist for ten years before his interests shifted to the world of art, antiques and auctioneering. In 1994 he joined the team at Southampton Solent University lecturing on the only BA(Hons) degree course of its kind to look at the commercial art world. Now, as a Senior Lecturer, he teaches courses on the history and theory of interior design and visual culture. He has lectured to many adult audiences for a variety of University Extra-mural departments and the WEA. For the last few years he has also worked as a consultant valuer for the BBC television programme Flog It.

Please note this is a change of lecturer.

This Study Day will be held in:
The Dinant Room at The Spotlight, Hoddesdon.

10.00am     Coffee on arrival
10.30am     1st lecture begins 
                  Short break followed by 2nd lecture
 1.00pm      Lunch in the Bar area
 1.55pm      3rd lecture begins
 3.00pm      Finish

Ticket Price including a sandwich lunch - £30 per person.
If necessary, please state dietary requirements with your booking

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 in the Dinant Room

at The Spotlight

  10am to 3pm £30 including Lunch and Coffee

Since the C19 English high society had 'wintered over' on the Côte d'Azur, but  always left by April. In the early 1920's, however, an intoxicating mix of artists, writers, musicians and international visitors, inspired by a mythological seascape of luminous colours, created a new summer season.  Sun tans and sportswear soon became 'de rigueur' in the chic new coastal resorts, villas and hotels.

This liberating playground of ideas across the visual design arts was stimulated by impresarios Serge Diaghilev (Ballet Russes)and leading couturier and interior designer Paul Poiret. Traditional boundaries were torn down. Matisse, Picasso, Dufy, Cocteau, and Chanel merged the worlds of fashion, theatre and interiors. Cole Porter, Scott Fitzgerald, and the intriguing Gerald and Sara Murphy, introduced an American perspective and attracted an influential new set of discerning patrons and collectors. In the Special Interest Day we will 'time travel' to meet them, and also include a contemporary  'A' list tour of galleries and sites of special interest.

Mary Alexander trained as an art historian and graduated with a B.A. Hons in History and History of Art, and an M.A. in History of Art with Distinction from University College London. Her background combines an unusual blend of academic and communications skills and experiences, including lecturing to various arts organisations, working with design professionals on special events and publications, and writing on various aspects of the history of art and design.

Mary is an experienced international public speaker and regularly contributes articles to magazines, newspapers and professional journals. After completing her first degree, she seized on a rare opportunity to work at Platt Hall, Manchester which houses an internationally renowned collection of historic dress. Responsibilities included research and organising exhibitions and public lectures. 

THIS SPECIAL INTEREST DAY IS NOW SOLD OUT

THERE IS NO WAITING LIST

 in the Dinant Room

at The Spotlight

  10am to 3pm £30 including Lunch and Coffee

THE ARTISANS OF VENICE with Anne Haworth B.A.

The City of Venice has been eulogised by poets and writers as La Serenissima, a City of Dreams rising from the luminous and tranquil waters of the Venetian lagoon. Its network of canals shimmer with a thousand reflections of palaces and its churches echo with musical notes. The city’s picturesque beauty, unique topography and traditions of Carnival have earned it fulsome praise as ‘The Queen of the Adriatic’ or ‘The City of Masks’. As we will see in this Special Interest Day, Venice can also be described in myriad ways as the City of Silk, Gold, Mosaics, Glass, Lapis Lazuli, Book-Binding, Musical Instruments or Gondolas. For centuries, Venice was at the centre of mercantile exchanges in luxury commodities between Europe, the Levant, North Africa and East Asia and attracted thriving communities of skilled artisans. Venetian life hummed with the sound of a thousand workshops.  Glassmakers were famously sequestered on the island of Murano whilst lace-makers congregated on Burano. The legacy of the artisans of Venice can be seen in magnificent Venetian palace, church and library interiors, in paintings and works of art and also in contemporary craft traditions, Carnival and the cuisine of La Serenissima.  

Lecture 1: ‘From Artisans to Angels, Guilds to Gold, Pigments to Perfume and Silk to Serenades’

In the first lecture, we are introduced to Venice, to the historic role of the different craft guilds, the trade in luxury commodities and rare materials and the location of craft workshops within the city and the outlying islands of Murano and Burano. We will consider the wide variety of works of art, which are the subject of this study day and of which the title gives a hint.

Lecture 2: ‘From Chandeliers to Shoes, Goblets to Gondolas, Mirrors to Marquetry and Porcelain to Paper’

This lecture will be a detailed study of the development of craft traditions in Venice, looking at surviving works of art held in museum collections in the city itself and on to London, Paris and New York.

Lecture 3: ‘From Bricks to Bridges, Paintings to Palaces, Mosaics to Masks and Lanterns to Legacy’

A Tour of La Serenissima

The legacy of the artisans of Venice is ever-present when we look closely at Venetian paintings from the Renaissance Golden Age through to scenes of 18th Century masquerades. Their work pervades the city’s built environment, dazzling the eyes in architectural masterpieces such as the Doge’s Palace, the Basilica of San Marco and other churches and in the magnificent interiors of the Marciana Library, La Fenice Opera House and the palaces which line the Grand Canal. Traditional crafts including glass-blowing, silk, paper and mask-making as well as the living artisanal heritage of fine cuisine are still alive in contemporary Venice.

Anne Haworth, biography

After taking a degree in Modern History at Durham University, Anne Haworth worked for 14 years as a European and Asian ceramics specialist in the head offices of Christie's and Bonham's auctioneers, during which time she appraised many private collections in Britain and Europe. In 1995, she left England for a seven-year residency in Shanghai, China, researching ceramics and visiting ancient kiln sites. She gave lectures on porcelain to the international community of diplomats and expatriate groups in Shanghai and Beijing. Anne returned to London in 2002, working on a short project cataloguing Chinese porcelain at Kensington Palace. She now lectures for the Arts Society, for the V&A and other main London museums and for private study groups. She lectures at the Queen’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace and spent 10 years guiding private groups around the State Rooms of the Palace. 

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These three talks explore the heart of the City of London.   

1.  The Medieval Guildhall - a London nerve centre for 2,000 years - sculpture, monuments and art in this gothic treasure trove.

 In the centre of the City of London stands its ancient headquarters, the medieval Guildhall. The present building dates from 1411 and remarkably is still in use today. The crypts are even earlier, and the whole building stands on the site of London’s Roman amphitheatre. It contains a wealth of wonderful monuments that commemorate significant events over the centuries, including victories at Trafalgar and Waterloo. This lecture describes the Guildhall exterior and interior and explores its fascinating history.

2.  Romans and Romantics – The Guildhall Art Gallery, one of the country’s real hidden gems.

The City of London Corporation has been commissioning and acquiring art for nearly 350 years and now owns a vast and diverse collection. This talk explores the outstanding display of works in the Guildhall Art Gallery. We will look at paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries. Then we’ll see some of the sparkling Victorian and Pre-Raphaelite collection, including paintings by Rossetti, Millais and Holman Hunt. The gallery also owns many 20th Century works. Built on the site of London’s Roman amphitheatre, which is open to the public, the gallery is one of the real hidden gems in the centre of London.

 3.  An armchair stroll around the Square Mile

 For most of the past 2,000 years, the City of London has been very good at making money. In Roman times it was a bustling and successful trading port and is now home to hi-tech international finance. The fruits of these riches are still around for all to see in this virtual tour. Within a short walk of the Guildhall and St Paul’s Cathedral is a treasure trove of wonderful buildings and public art. This talk starts with a look at the institutions that are the backbone of the City of London – including the Bank of England, Lloyds, the Stock Exchange, and the City Livery Companies. Then we will dive into medieval alleyways to explore hidden churches and gardens and finish with a peek at some of the City’s gleaming new skyscrapers.

 Ian Swankie

 Ian Swankie is a Londoner with a passion for art and architecture. He is an official guide at Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Guildhall Art Gallery and St Paul’s Cathedral, and gives tours at each venue. He is also a qualified and active freelance London guide and leads regular tours for various corporations and organisations. Since 2012 he has led a popular weekly independent art lecture group in his hometown of Richmond in West London, and he gives talks on a variety of subjects. He is an accredited lecturer for The Arts Society, and a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Art Scholars, one of the City Livery Companies.

THIS EVENT IS NOW FULLY BOOKED

SPECIAL INTEREST DAY

AT THE SPOTLIGHT IN THE DINANT ROOM

10.30AM TO 3PM AND LUNCH (Coffee 10am) 

Tickets: £30 each payable to TASEH

  Art with something to say …

  Kandinsky (1911): “Every work of art is the child of its time.”

 The very experienced Val Woodgate will concentrate on those many artists who have used their Art to communicate ideas, opinions and fears about their world and, in doing so, tell us a great deal about the periods in which the works of art were created.

Artists as varied as Goya, Manet, Chagall, Picasso, Grayson Perry, Ai Weiwei and many others have created powerful, exciting, moving and sometimes disturbing works of art dealing with a variety of political and social concerns, such as poverty and racism, war and propaganda, the Cold War and the Nuclear Age, the environment and Gender politics.

 This has been a very popular day with other Societies so book as soon as you can.
Please pay by Bank Transfer and book Online. 

Click Here to Book tickets

Contact Sue Rogers 07887 792120

The Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) was an exceptional period in China’s history from the perspective of territorial and economic expansion, although ultimately ending in the collapse of 2000 years of Imperial rule. In addition, the period is recognised for the exceptional quality and quantity of art originating from the Imperial Workshops.

This Special Interest Day begins with an exploration of Chinese Imperial Court life in terms of structure, protocol and, most importantly, the history and impact of regulated formal Court Costume worn by the Chinese Imperial Clan together with the 9 Ranks of both Civil and Military Officials.

The second lecture will consider of the impact, and legacy, of the Emperor Qianlong (1735-1796). Regarded as one of China’s most accomplished Emperors, Qianlong was additionally seen as the most influential individual of the dynasty with regard to patronage of the arts, cultural developments and evolution of Court Protocol. His greatest legacy being the World’s finest collection of Oriental Art and Antiques (Palace Museum, Beijing -National Palace Museum, Taiwan).

The final lecture considers the life and legacy of the Dowager Empress Cixi. A woman who was portrayed globally for over a century after her death (1908) as a ruthless tyrant who halted the modernisation of China, leading to humiliating defeats at the hands of Western Colonial powers and Japan. Official records, however, now reveal, in contrast, an exceptional woman who seized power to save the dynasty and who battled hard to modernise both the court and the Empire. In contrast to her political contribution to China we will consider her talents as a fashion designer, painter and horticulturist and a patron of the performing arts.

David Rosier is a Chartered Insurer by profession and a Fellow of the Assurance Medical Society, with extensive international experience as an author and lecturer in Medical Risk Assessment. He has in excess of 25 years of working and living in Asia. Whilst living in Hong Kong (1991-2004) he assembled a collection of approximately 700, predominately Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Imperial and related textiles/costume accessories. Past Committee Member of the Hong Kong Textile Society and frequent speaker on Imperial Insignia and Badges of Rank.

The day starts at 10.00 a.m. for Coffee with the lectures starting at 10.30 a.m.
Lunch is around 1.00 p.m.
The day ends at around 3.00 p.m.

The price is £30 which includes lunch and morning coffee.
Any Dietary requirements can be noted when booking

To buy tickets on-line Click Here

Or contact Sue Rogers on  01707 261232/07887 792120  scrogers@btinternet.com

This Study Day traces the development of sculpture in the twentieth century, from large lumps of marble at one end to unmade beds at the other, and explains how and why this trajectory happened. Key developments like Cubism, Primitivism, Surrealism and Pop Art all affected sculpture, and are carefully explained with a wide range of illustrations.

The day is divided into 3 sessions with lunch served between sessions 2 and 3

Session One: 1900-1930: The day starts by looking at the crucial influence of Rodin in rejuvenating the sculptural tradition, and moves on to examine the reaction of the avant-garde, which was engaging more directly with materials and absorbing the influence of non-western cultures. Cubism, which changed sculpture forever, is explained in detail, as are the forward-looking ideas of the Futurists and Russian Constructivists, and the parallel re-emergence of traditional forms in the 1920s.

Session Two: 1930-1960: The hugely important figure of Giacometti introduces Surrealism, which is set against simultaneous developments in abstraction, and the rise of totalitarian art in the thirties. In the post-war period, British sculpture was particularly strong, and the work of Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and others is covered. The United States became the centre of the art world in the forties, so this section finishes by looking at the work of David Smith, the pre-eminent American sculptor of the period.

Session Three: Sculpture since 1960: This section begins by looking at the cool and detached attitudes of sculptors inspired by modern consumer culture, both in Europe and the United States, and also at the severe and restrained forms of minimalism. These both sit in stark contrast to the organic materials and highly personal symbolism of artists like Joseph Beuys and Eva Hesse. Land Art and Performance Art are featured, and the closing section looks at more recent works, some thought-provoking and challenging, others simply spectacular and beautiful. 

Linda Smith holds two first-class degrees in Art History. She has a broad knowledge of art historical subjects, but specialises in British Art and twentieth century art. An experienced lecturer and guide, especially at Tate Britain and Tate Modern she has lectured to a wide variety of audiences in different venues, including school and university students, and independent arts societies in the UK and overseas.

BECAUSE OF CURRENT RESTRICTIONS, THIS IS SUBJECT TO CONFIRMATION.

Starting at 10am and finishing by 1.00pm this will be given by established Arts Society lecturer Ian Swankie in collaboration with The Arts Society Rickmansworth. It will be a morning exploring the brilliance and romance of railways in a two part journey:

1 Great Railway Stations of the World

If you think of St Pancras International or New York Grand Central you imagine long romantic journeys. You know they are special places promising excitement and adventure. But there are dozens of other glorious stations in the UK and abroad. We will take a journey around some of the most evocative and splendid stations in the world. We will look not only at the magnificence of the architecture and the brilliant engineering but will discover numerous artworks within the stations and examine many depictions of stations in art – like Claude Monet’s Gare St Lazare or William Powell Frith’s Paddington. It may sound a bit anoraky, but it’s definitely not. It’s lavish, colourful and fun.

2. Underground Cathedrals - the London Underground (This lecture is consistently rated as 'outstanding')

The world’s first underground railway has a unique heritage of architecture, ingenious design, powerful advertising posters and unique calligraphy. This talk plots the early development of the Underground, examines the legacy of Frank Pick and Charles Holden, looks at some of the iconic posters, and celebrates the award-winning architecture of the modern Tube in the Jubilee Line Extension. We’ll also take a peek at a few of the new Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) stations, designed by some of the world’s top architects.

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

The timetable is:

10am to 11.10 first lecture plus questions

11.10 to 11.40 coffee break

11.40 to 13.00 second lecture plus questions

The cost will be £10 per device - pay electronically to account TASR Sort Code 40-52-40 a/c number 00060307 with RAIL and your name as a reference
or by cheque written in black ink made payable to TASRickmansworth and sent to our Treasurer, Jeff Baker ‘Hedgerow’, Dimmocks Lane, Sarratt , Herts WD3 6AR

To book contact Diane Hynd by email hynddi@gmail.com with your name telephone number and e-mail address and either confirmation that you have paid electronically or that you will be sending a cheque to Jeff Baker.

 

Lecture and Virtual Tour

 with

Jane Choy-Thurlow

Starting at 10.00 a.m. Ending at 13.00 approx.

Lecture: Prized Possessions - Dutch 17th Century Art in National Trust Houses

English country houses have traditionally been the home to Dutch Golden Age masters including impressive works by some of the best loved artists. The British have a fondness for collecting Dutch pictures with examples collected by some of the Nation’s most important patrons and displayed in some of Britain’s greatest houses. The National Trust has over 13,000 works of art, of these over 1,000 are Dutch 17th century paintings. Dutch masters such as Rembrandt, Aelbert Cuyp, and Meindert Hobbema were extremely popular with the British nobility and entrepreneurs from the 17th to the 20th century. Some of the most beautiful examples of these artists are to be found in these houses. The talk will include the variety of paintings to be found, the artists who painted them and how they came to be in these houses.

Virtual Tour: Mauritshuis, The Hague, The Netherlands

The Mauritshuis is one of the most beautiful 17th century monuments in Holland and has been the home of the Royal Cabinet of Paintings for nearly 200 years. The collection of 17th century Dutch paintings is considered one of the top four in the world. The fact that this top collection is found in the intimate atmosphere of a residence of the same era known as the Dutch Golden Age makes it very special. And explains why it is often called the smallest of the great museums and the greatest of the small museums. 

There will be a short break between the two sessions

Jane is a resident of the Netherlands and enjoys giving lectures and tours at the Mauritshuis, Prince William V gallery and Huygens Museum Hofwijck in The Hague, The Netherlands. A few of the many exhibits in the Mauritshuis she has been part of are: the legendary Johannes Vermeer exhibit, Rembrandt by Himself and Holbein, Portraitist of the Renaissance.

She received her BSc from Salem State University, USA, her Med from Trinity College Dublin and continued art history studies at Leiden University.

A former Chairman of Mainland Europe AS area, she is presently a part of the Support Team.

In 2018 she was given the honour of Knight in the Order of Oranje Nassau by the Dutch King Willem Alexander of Orange for her knowledge and work in the field of the Arts esp. 15th to 17th century Dutch and Flemish art.

To view these lectures please download the application form HERE and follow the instructions.

The cost per device is £10.

In 1900 Art Nouveau was at its apogee; Brussels, Paris, Nancy, Glasgow, Riga, Barcelona and Vienna were all transformed by the so-called New Art. At one level Art Nouveau was a regional response, with cities such as Glasgow, Barcelona and Darmstadt utilising the New Art to forge a distinct identity. But Art Nouveau also performed on an international stage, dominating the expositions held in Brussels (1898), Paris (1900), Vienna (1900) and Turin (1902). The New Art was both local and global it sought to address the needs of modern life, to utilise the latest technologies and to create ‘beautiful objects of everyday use’. Rene Lalique fashioned the finest jewellery, Louis Marjorelle was the supreme cabinet maker while Emile Galle crafted the most original glass vessels. Galle constantly perfected new techniques; firstly enamelling on clear glass, then hand-carved and acid etched cameo glass and finally his unsurpassed invention ‘glass marquetry’ unveiled at Paris 1900. In 1901 Galle assisted in the foundation of le Ecole de Nancy, or the School of Nancy, a confederation of manufacturers, which included Marjorelle and Daum. This was an alliance of Art and Industry, rather than Art and Crafts, as manufacturers used ‘batch production’ to lower prices. Every woman strove to fashion a House Beautiful with stunning glass, ceramic objets d’art and bronze figurines. Happiness appeared to lie in shopping; even shops were transformed into palaces. While many could not afford such luxuries, Beauty did reach the people as Art Nouveau transformed the city: banks, department stores, shops, restaurants and even railways stations were transformed into Palaces of Art. 

Belgian and French designers relied on the infamous ‘whiplash’ for their individualistic styles. Curving, undulating forms created figurines, furniture, ceramics, glass and jewellery, as well as covering entire buildings. Rejected by the English, as it was seen to be hedonistic, decadent and morally corrupting, Art Nouveau was condemned for being no more than mere decoration.  It was decried as commercial, pandering to popular taste and reducing art to fashion. But Art Nouveau embraced modernity using the latest technologies, especially electric light. It expressed the anxieties of the era, especially those aroused by progress and the spectre of the femme fatale. Nature was taken as a metaphor for progress; change was embraced as natural. However, by 1910 Art Nouveau appeared outmoded; the avant garde and fashion moved on. The years leading up to the First World War saw the emergence of Art Deco and Modernism; both would triumph in the Roaring Twenties. Modernity was now expressed through the metaphor of the Machine rather than Nature.

There will be three sessions:

Session One:  Art Nouveau: New Art for the New Century 

Break

Session Two: Art Nouveau: Art for the People 

Lunch Break

Session Three: Art Nouveau Woman

The lecturer for this study Day is Anne Anderson. Currently a tutor for the V&A Learning Academy, Anne specialises in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Crafts movement. Her career as an international speaker has taken her all over the world, including Jersey, Spain, Germany, New Zealand, Canada and the USA. She undertook her fourth lecture tour of Australia, for ADFAS, in 2018.

Study days are held in the Dinant Room at the Spotlight in Hoddesdon. The day starts at 10.00 and finishes around 3.00.  Coffee, served on arrival, and a sandwich lunch is included.  

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Click here for booking form

After unification of East and West in 1989, the formerly battered and divided city has miraculously risen like a “phoenix from the ashes” to become one again the German capital and a veritable cultural treasure-trove. Everywhere in Berlin, spectacular buildings are being erected, designed by leading architects from all over the world … Sir Norman Foster’s new Reichstag is only one of many famous examples. Rich art-collections are presented all over the ‘new’ and ‘old’ Berlin in splendid museums and historic palaces. The talk will be infused with “Berliner Luft”, that typical Berlin-atmosphere that the lecturer can add as a born-and-bred native of the metropolis!

The city of Dresden celebrated its 800th anniversary in 2006. Renowned as the ‘Florence of the North’, its eighteenth century buildings have been faithfully restored. The famous Green Vaults display an array of dazzling artefacts. The Old and New Masters Picture-Galleries are among the finest in Europe. Superb Oriental and Meissen porcelain is on view in the historic Zwinger Palace, a jewel of Rococo architecture. Not far from Dresden, we shall also look at the charming town of Meissen and its famous factory as well as the Saxon rulers’ hunting-lodge at Moritzburg and the Decorative Arts Museum at Pillnitz on the Elbe.

Eveline Eaton BA Hons is a freelance lecturer in Fine Arts and a tour-guide to Berlin, Dresden, Munich. Eveline is Hon. President of the Board of Trustees of the Dresden Trust and oversaw the creation of a "peace garden" facing the Frauenkirche in Dresden.

This Special Interest Day is SOLD OUT

The day will start with a brief explanation of the beginnings of Islam and its spread from Arabia to Central Asia and north Africa.  As well as exploring the differences between Sunni and Shia art, Christopher will explain the importance of calligraphy and the written word in Islamic culture.

The second session concentrates on the architecture of Islam; not just the mosques, minarets and madrassas in the important centres of Damascus, Cairo, and Samarkand, but the royal palaces and pavilions of Iran and Moorish Spain and the commercial buildings that supported their trading empires – the caravanserais of the Silk Road, ribats of Tunisia and the bazaars of Isfahan and Fez. 

Decorative art will be examined in the last session, with the development of ceramics, glazed tiles and mosaics, woodwork, metalwork, the art of the miniaturist, carpet design and manufacture; all illustrated with the finest objects from the best collections and museums around the world

Our speaker, 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 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 Berlitz Guides to Libya; The Red Sea; Cairo; Abu Dhabi and Nile Cruising.  As a photographer he has pictures represented by four photographic libraries.  As a film producer and cameraman he has made documentaries for the BBC, National Geographic TV and Channel 4.

The meeting will be in the Dinant Room at Spotlight, Broxbourne, EN11 8BE - 10am (for 10.30 start) – 3pm

To reserve a place you can download a Booking Form by clicking here and emailing the completed form to Sue Rogers at scrogers@btinternet.com; or posting it to her at Holwell Manor, Holwell Lane, Essendon, Herts AL9 5RG.  Alternatively you can phone her on 07887 792120 or speak to her at the January Lecture day.

The cost is £25 which includes coffee to start with and a sandwich lunch

Lecturer:  Giles Ramsay, an independent theatre director and producer, specialising in creating new work with artists in developingcountries; a Founder Director of the charity Developing Artists, a Fellow of St Chad’s College, Durham University and Course Leader in Theatre at the V&A.

In his three lectures, Giles will examine how the theatre responded to the extraordinary upheavals of the Great Depression, two World Wars, the Cold War, the Space Race and the Information Revolution and demonstrate how, throughout this age of extremes, the show still went on. 

The day starts with The Victorian Legacy and the rise of the Drawing Room dramas of Noel Coward (pictured).

This is followed by The Post-War Revolution and the emergence of the Angry Young Men such as John Osborne and Edward Bond.

After lunch, in a lecture entitled A New Golden Age? Giles will address the era from the 1960’s to the present day, exploring the works of Harold Pinter, Joe Orton and Tom Stoppard as well as new forms of drama such as Immersive Theatre and The National Theatre Live.

The talk will be in the Dinant Room at Spotlight -10am (for 10.30 start) – 3pm

A booking form can  be downloaded from this site: click here for a form

We will be holding a Special Interest Day (SID) on Thursday 1st February when we look at Russian art & architecture from the Vikings to Romanovs.

The historical background to the day is the evolution of the Russian people from their misty beginings as Viking traders in the 8th century to Prince Vladimir of Kiev’s adoption of the Orthodox branch of Christianity in the late 10th century, when they inherited a specific style of religious art and architecture from Byzantium.

The introduction of Orthodoxy from Byzantium brought with it the centrally planned domed church and the hierarchic arrangement of holy images inside; the practice of venerating icons; and of course the liturgy itself. With their profound and innate artistic genius, the Russians adapted and restructured the Byzantine forms of church architecture to blend with native traditions of wooden architecture. Their icon paintings are imbued with a spirit that is markedly Russian, soft and sublime.

This period of Russian history and culture, before the founding of St Petersburg, is less well known, yet full of delight and interest.

The SID will be run by Jane Angellini, who has given us some excellent talks in the past. It will comprise 3 sessions, the first starting at 10.30 am in the Dinant Room; a sandwich lunch will be provided between the 2nd and 3rd session. Price £25. If you can’t book in person contact Sue Rogers whose details are in your programme