Later Lectures

Gavin Plumley

Whether drawing duchesses or portraying princes, John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) was high society’s leading portraitist. Flaunting a consummate technique, his luxurious canvases mirrored his subjects’ wealth. Yet beneath the dazzling works lurks a much rawer world by far. This talk charts his life and prolific output showing that, like the era he came to represent, Sargent was always on the cusp of seismic change.

James Vaux

In the 1950’s Finn Juhl was one of the most celebrated architects and designers in the world but 30 years later he had fallen into obscurity. Today he is recognized as one of the giants of mid-century design. What was behind this extraordinary reversal in fortune and what does it tell us about the vagaries of artistic success more generally?

Margaret Watson

This lecture will cover the 5000-year history of this fascinating instrument. Boasting over 1400 working parts we will learn how the complex pedal mechanism was introduced and perfected and Margaret will also play her harp for this unique musical journey.

Sarah Cove

Until 2019, when it was brought to Sarah for cleaning and restoration, the whereabouts of one of Constable’s finest paintings, a portrait of his neighbour in Charlotte Street, Mrs Emily Treslove, was unknown. Following ‘the discovery’ of Emily’s painting its companion, a portrait of Emily’s husband, Thomas Treslove came to light. Along with the portraits Sarah discovered Emily had written a diary and Sarah’s lecture will reveal the story of wealth, vanity, fashion and politics of the ‘nouveau riche’ in the early 19th century

Julian Halsby

At the 1905 Salon D’Automne Louis Vauxcelles saw a group of highly coloured paintings by a group of artists that so shocked him that he described them as “Wild Animals” – “Fauves”.

This group included Matisse, Derain, Vlaminck, Braque, Dufy, van Dongen, Marquet. The Fauves painted landscapes, seascapes, portraits, nudes and dancing figures, a wide range of subjects. By 1910 the Fauves had gone their own ways some achieving great fame and others less so. This was a wonderful period of art, canvases full of life, colour, brilliance and bravura.

John Stevens

Before the British arrived in India, the Indian subcontinent was ruled by the Mughal Emperors. The stunning buildings and gardens they constructed from the 16th-18th Century have left an indelible stamp on India’s architectural and cultural landscape. This lecture will take you on a tour of some of India’s greatest buildings from the Jama Masjid in Delhi to Taj Mahal in Agra, to the Shalimar Gardens in Lahore and provide insight into the historical contexts and colourful personalities involved in their construction.

Ian Swankie

Best known for his outlandish appearances dressed as his feminine alter ego, Claire, Sir Grayson Perry is now a core part of the art establishment. This lecture will examine his often controversial works of ceramics, textiles, tapestries and prints and the exciting and thought-provoking exhibitions plus the unique character inside those flamboyant frocks.

Jeremy Mainwaring Burton

Having had access to the jewels designated Heirlooms of the Crown and with a spectacular collection of her own, the Queen Mother had so much jewellery to choose from over the course of her long life that it would be almost impossible to describe it all. This lecture will chronicle her passion for jewels by concentrating on a selection of items which are of particular gemmological and historic interest …. and have an intriguing story attached.

Stuart Harvey

The Borghese Gallery houses what is arguably one of the greatest collections of art in the world. In the early 1600s Cardinal Scipio Borghese, the nephew of Pope Paul V, amassed an incredible collection of ancient sculptures and renaissance art, including Titian, Botticelli and Raphael. He also commissioned statues from Bernini and art works by Caravaggio and other contemporary artists of the day. Over the years the Borghese family have added to the collection all in a magnificent building designed by Cardinal Scipio solely for his collection.

Oscar Wilde: writer, wit and the first modern celebrity. From his childhood in Ireland to his artistic circle in Chelsea and glittering West End first nights, to the criminal trial of the age, we chart Oscar’s extraordinary journey and discuss his enduring appeal and legacy.

Lecturer: Simon Whitehouse

Simon is a (recovering) actor, lecturer,  presenter, Alexander Technique and voice teacher and award winning London Blue Badge guide. He has worked as a guide lecturer in-house at Shakespeare’s Globe, the Royal Opera House, the BBC and the National Gallery guiding both public and private tours. He is in the faculty of Ithaca College and also lectures for the Blue Badge  Guide training course on the performing arts and English literature. Simon’s specialisms and passions are theatre, literature, fashion and art history but whatever the subject, Simon will weave a wonderful story from it.