The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire as you have never seen it before – through the eyes of the Roman people The Romans have left us with a remarkable artistic record of their lifestyle, beliefs, achievements and entertainment in the form of beautiful mosaics. This lavishly illustrated lecture, using only images of mosaics,…
Art Deco was considered to be the most glamorous and popular style of the 1920’s and 1930’s. This lecture will review the development of the style within the context of its social and economic environment and look at specific examples of objects d’arts, including silver, jewellery, furniture, ceramics, clocks and architecture. Lecturer: Pamela…
The art of Piero della Francesca is unique. Of the Italian Renaissance masters, only Piero viewed the visual arts and mathematics with equal importance. Later in life he declared that the whole visual world could be described through five geometric forms. Indeed, his work is spare and uncluttered. His figures are dreamy and detached from…
From the early sixties, when he left the Royal College of Art more famous than his teachers, Hockney’s paintings have shown a charm and humour that sets them apart from others of his generation. A naturally gifted draftsman, he went on to experiment with a whole range of techniques from the early abstract expressionist…
When Edvard Munch created ‘The Scream’ he was responding to an immense emotional experience, what we would call today a panic attack. Crippling and anxious making, this primal cry was also a rallying call for Munch and the wider world of art. It gave birth to a movement called Expressionism. Explosive and emotive, the…
Tony has been a writer and director of historic pantomimes throughout England for 30 years. He has researched pantomime, from its origins and evolution, from the commedia dell’arte roots to its first British representation in Georgian England through to the Victorian spectaculars and music hall. Learn about slapstick and find out why pantomime is so…
Messiah: an Audio-visual Exploration of Handel’s Choral Masterpiece Composed in 1741 but not first performed until the following year at Dublin’s Great Music Hall, ‘Messiah’ is one of the Western music ‘s greatest achievements, and a work that has captured the imagination of audiences around the globe. Although originally performed at Easter, the oratorio…
Art Behind Bars: The Role of the Arts in Breaking the Cycle of Crime, Prison and Re-offending A thought-provoking talk: the lecture will offer a deeper understanding of the minds, lives and challenges of offenders. Lecturer: Angela Findlay Angela is a professional artist, writer and freelance lecturer, with a long career of teaching art in…
The Great Age of the Shogun: Art and Culture in Edo Period Japan During the Edo period of rule by the Tokugawa Shogunate (1615-1868), the arts of Japan gained in richness and diversity. With the rise of the merchant class and the growth of cities, a new vitality was injected into past traditions and…
We are still living amongst the infrastructure created by Isambard Kingdom Brunel in the 19th Century. He changed the face of the English landscape, with his ground-breaking projects including railways, bridges, tunnels, ships and grand buildings, such as the magnificent Paddington Station. Merging art, engineering and science he was a pioneer and revolutionary. He was…