This talk will look at the huge rise of interest in Irish art from the mid-1990’s, coinciding with the Celtic Tiger, and the dramatic change that took place in 2007. The lecture will be illustrated by images of paintings by Jack Butler Yeats, William Orpen, John Lavery, Paul Henry, Roderick O’Connor and others. Grant Ford will look at some of the iconic images he has handled as an auctioneer over the years and tell the stories behind some of the major consignments.

Grant Ford spent 30 years at Sotheby’s and was Senior Director and Head of British & Irish Art post-1850. Since 2007, he has been a paintings specialist for the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow and is particularly well-known in the fields of Victorian, Irish, Scottish and European art. 

Stephen Bird will give a lecture on a series of 21 paintings he created in 2015-16 on the Book of Genesis, a project funded by the Farmington Institute of the University of Oxford. The Genesis stories are fractured, kaleidoscopic, strange, poetic and discomfiting and the paintings explore these characteristics. The Arts Centre has kindly arranged for an Exhibition of the paintings at the same time as Stephen’s lecture. The accompanying catalogue includes commentary by the renowned biblical scholar Dom Henry Wansbrough.

Stephen Bird studied art at the Chelsea School of Art and Goldsmiths College, London. He was previously Head of Art and History of Art at Ampleforth College. He is now a full-time working artist living in North Yorkshire

Pieces made during the 1970’s can now fetch many times more than a piece made in the 1770’s. Why has the teak sideboard you threw out become so desirable? Who is this Eames guy? Or Timo Sarpaneva? Who’s buying what and what are they doing with it? This practical and inspirational lecture looks at furniture, ceramics, glass, lighting and metalware, identifies key designs and designers and examines the revolutionary design movements they began.

Mark Hill studied History of Art and Architecture before joining Bonhams as a porter and junior cataloguer and moving to Sotheby’s where he was a Specialist in the Collector’s Department. He was a co-author with Judith Miller of the Collectables Price Guide from 2002-17 and a Miscellaneous expert on the Antiques Roadshow since 2007.

For this month only the talk will start at 7pm. Doors will be open from 6.30pm

18th century England saw not only the flowering of the Industrial Revolution but also that of the self-made man. Using the paintings of Sir Joshua Reynolds and others, Leslie Primo will guide us through the lives and achievements, the common interests and connections of members and guests of The Lunar Society such as James Watt, Josiah Wedgwood, Joseph Wright of Derby and other ‘natural philosophers’.

Leslie Primo is an author, broadcaster and graduate of Birkbeck College, London with an M.A. in Renaissance Studies. He currently teaches Art History at Imperial College and lectures for the Royal Academy, London.

In the quiet of an enclosed garden filled with symbolic plants, or glimpsed inside a sturdy house, a young woman reads, blissfully unaware that her life is about to change. Approaching her, an angel is poised to break the news, to make a great announcement. Whatever your personal beliefs, it is hard to deny the impact Christianity would have on the world so the Annunciation by Gabriel to Mary, telling her that she was to bear a son, is one of the most popular images of the Middle Ages, more popular indeed than the Nativity itself. This lecture reveals the key players in the story, dissects the symbolism of Mary and the Annunciation and examines the world-changing importance of that particular moment. It is richly illustrated with gorgeous images from the fourth to the sixteenth centuries.

Imogen Corrigan served for 20 years in the British Army before going to the University of Kent where she gained first-class honours in Anglo-Saxon & Mediaeval History and Art, followed by an M. Phil from the University of Birmingham. She lectures in Europe and had a book published in 2019, Stone on Stone: The Men Who Built The Cathedrals.

Patrick Craig will explore the rich musical traditions of Venice and the lives of musicians such as Monteverdi who not only transformed the music of the Basilica of San Marco but also led the way in the creation of a new art form – opera. We will also listen to Vivaldi, the other towering genius of Venetian music who created music both for the opera stage and the female musicians of the Ospidale della Pieta.

A Cambridge history graduate with a lifelong interest in the arts, Patrick Craig is a Vicar Choral of St. Paul’s Cathedral. For 20 years he combined this with an international career singing over a thousand concerts with the world-renowned early music consort The Tallis Scholars.

Janet Gough provides an overview of the Church of England’s 42 magnificent cathedrals, jewels in the crown of England’s built heritage. Beautifully illustrated by Paul Barker, a photographer for Country Life magazine. In addition to looking at their history, stories, evolving architecture and treasures, the talk considers the role of cathedrals over the centuries and specifically their role today.

A Cambridge graduate in History and History of Art, Janet Gough OBE was for 8 years the Church of England’s Director of Church Buildings. She has written two illustrated books to encourage greater enjoyment of these amazing buildings and produced and presented a TV series on cathedrals for PBS.

THE TRIUMPH OF LUTYENS’ NEW DELHI

In the roughly three hundred years during which the British constructed buildings in India there persisted an unresolved dialogue about the creation of an authoritative British style. The Victorians and Edwardians looked with envy at the confident, distinctive and appropriate architectural style of the buildings in India constructed in the time of the Mughal Empire. The questions - as to whether the British should impose a British style, fuse a British style with Indian or even adopt the Mughal style for their own – were never satisfactorily answered in India … That is until Edwin Lutyens penned his designs for New Delhi. This lecture gives consideration to the several styles of Indian architecture – not least the Mughal, before celebrating the masterpiece, and innovative stylistic triumph, that is New Delhi.

Anthony Peers

A freelance historic buildings' consultant, educated as an Architectural Historian at Manchester University and trained in building conservation at the Institute of Advanced Architectural Studies, York. After two years with SAVE Britain's Heritage, where he wrote Deserted Bastions, worked with the English Heritage Listing Division on the review of military buildings. In the mid 1990s was employed by the DTI in Bombay, India, setting up and running an innovative project to repair George Gilbert Scott's university buildings and training local architects and craftsmen in conservation techniques and philosophy. From 1998 until 2010, worked as Rodney Melville & Partners' historian, involved with research, analysis, assessment and conservation planning at such sites as The Workhouse, Southwell; Aston Hall, Birmingham; The Royal Institution, London and Cliveden. Published a book on the History of Birmingham Town Hall in 2012, to critical acclaim. Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and Deputy Chairman of the Ancient Monuments Society.

THE BLUE HOUR: PAINTING THE NORTH

From late medieval times artists from the north have visited Italy in search of classical inspiration, not to mention prestige. “But why always Italy?” asks one 19th century Swedish artist, “Doesn’t our northern nature reflect eternity? Does not our gaze embrace the sky as well – and what a sky!” In Denmark, Hans Christian Andersen visits the little town of Skagen in the north of Jutland, a place of sand, storms and sky; describes it vividly and inspires artists to paint its wild and remote landscape where the North Sea meets the Baltic. Artists include a local girl, gifted Anna Ancher, whose personality and paintings are both compared by a contemporary artist to “a burst of sunshine”. In Sweden, symbolist landscape artist Prince Eugen, youngest son of King Oscar II, finds romantic inspiration in the lakes, forests, history and vivid folk art of Dalecarlia in central Sweden. Both Danish and Swedish landscape paintings feature the Blue Hour, that half hour or so just after sunset and before sunrise, when the landscape is suffused with a bluish light, highly atmospheric and iconic of the North.

Karin Fernald

Karin is known for her entertaining lectures on writers and diarists connected with the arts from the mid-18th to 19th century, and moving forward in time with Virginia Woolf. Extensive research into diaries and letters bring lectures to vivid life. Karin illustrates them with slides of contemporary pictures and portraits from varied sources.

MATRYOSHKA: THE MAGIC AND MYSTERY OF THE RUSSIAN STYLE

When Winston Churchill defined Russia as "a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma", perhaps he was thinking of the smiling matronly figure painted on Russia’s wooden dolls, which open up to reveal a whole family of smaller dolls. But if you believe the matryoshka doll is as old as Russian legends about the firebird, prepare to be surprised. This lecture delves deep into the Russian soul. The oriental splendour of St. Basil's, the delicate "lace" patterns covering the facades of traditional Siberian houses, and the dazzling creations of Fabergé all bear witness to the creative genius of a nation with a passionate and intense love of beauty, bright colour and intricate decoration.

Rosamund Bartlett

Writer, lecturer and translator whose work as a cultural historian ranges across the arts. She completed her doctorate at Oxford and is the author of several books, including biographies of Chekhov and Tolstoy, and a study of Wagner's influence in Russia. She is currently writing a history of the Russian avant-garde. Her new translation of Anna Karenina for Oxford World’s Classics was published to acclaim in 2014. She has written on art, music and literature for publications such as The Daily Telegraph and Apollo, and received commissions from institutions including the Royal Opera House, Tate UK, and the Salzburg Festival. Her lecturing work has taken her from the V&A and the National Theatre in London to the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney, and she contributes regularly to Proms events and opera broadcasts on the BBC.

2B OR NOT 2B? AN ILLUSTRATED STORY OF DRAWING

Why is Leonardo’s famous cartoon in the National Gallery no joke? What is the purpose of a ‘spolvero’? How much lead is there in a pencil? Which tree produces gall nut ink? And can you spot bracelet shading, cross-hatching, stippling or stumping?

Drawing plays a key role in an artist’s training. The techniques are quick and immediate. It is a type of brain-storming: a way of sketching out ideas. But it can be also planning a composition, presenting an idea for a large project to a client, or purely a finished product in its own right.

Whilst some of the earliest drawings made by man survive in the Chauvet-Pont-d'Arc Cave, most extant drawings date from the late Medieval period. These take the form of model books for use in a busy workshop.

From the Renaissance, model books would be replaced with more personal sketch books. Precious hand-made rag paper would be replaced with machine-made wood pulp sheets, metal point would be replaced with the modern pencil. But charcoal, as used at Chauvet, still remains popular today.

In this beautifully illustrated lecture we will discover the drawing techniques of the Great Masters.

Lynne Gibson

Now working as a freelance lecturer in the History of Art, Lynne originally trained as a fine artist and has taught painting, drawing and printmaking in higher and adult education. She lectured as an art historian for the universities of Sussex and Bristol where she introduced 'Understanding Art' to the Lifelong Learning programme and residential summer schools. Gives talks, lectures and guided tours to a wide range of organisations and institutions including ARCA colleges, the National Trust, National Gallery, art museums and art societies. She has worked as a professional artist specializing in oil painting and etching. Solo and group shows have included the RWA, British Museum and the Barbican.

HOW TO LOOK SLOWLY: IMPRESSIONISM

Looking slowly at an Impressionist painting might at first seem counterintuitive, since one of the concepts associated with Impressionism is that the artist captures quickly in paint a fleeting, fugitive moment. Although their works frequently appear to have been painted speedily, in reality, this was not always the case. The Impressionists’ works were often the result of careful observation and planning and their paintings invite us to dwell on and enjoy the evocation of a transitory effect.

Looking slowly at an Impressionist painting is to engage with the idea of seeing a moment which in lived existence might pass unnoticed, but one which the artist was keen to represent to produce visual pleasure. In order to appreciate the artist’s work, we need to look slowly. Touches of paint, punctuations of colour and varied textures come alive with sustained looking.

This presentation looks at a small selection of works in order to experience Impressionism with particular attention to the innovations of the style and the development of visual analysis skills.

Joanne Rhymer

Since completing an MA at University College London (UCL) in the History of Art: Modernism and the Politics of Representation (1997), Jo has been employed in various roles at the National Gallery including Adult Learning Officer and the Head of Adult Learning Programmes. In a freelance capacity, she has worked in prestigious learning departments in London galleries and museums including Tate, the Hayward Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery as well as leading group excursions in the UK and abroad.

She is currently a Panel Tutor for the Institute of Continuing Education at the University of Cambridge and teaches for the Wallace Collection and the V&A as well as a range of private institutions.

Her areas of specialism include 19th century and early 20th century French art, and her interests include the visual skills involved in sustained looking at paintings.

WHY DID LAURA KNIGHT BECOME SO FAMOUS?

Laura Knight, born in Nottingham in 1877, died in London in 1970 at the age of 93. From a difficult and impoverished background she rose to become the first woman ever elected to the Royal Academy and the first painter made a Dame. She was a War Artist in both world wars and wrote two volumes of autobiography. Knight belonged to a generation which saw women vote, sit in Parliament, and gain entry to formerly male professions such as medicine and the law. By her determination and ceaseless hard work, she became something of a spokesperson for the self-made woman of the age. The lecture traces her long and highly varied career from the artist communities of Staithes and Newlyn to affluent St John’s Wood in London and her wartime refuge in Malvern. Sustained by her great long-lasting friendships with many of the leading artists, performers and writers of her time, Alfred Munnings, George Bernard Shaw, Tamara Karsavina and Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies, she was one of the great figures of twentieth-century British culture.

Timothy Wilcox

Timothy Wilcox is a writer, lecturer and exhibition curator with special interests in British art, in landscape and in watercolour painting. He was a museum curator in the British Museum Department of Prints and Drawings following positions at the V&A, in Liverpool and Hove. As a freelance curator and lecturer since 1997, he has organised exhibitions on Laura Knight, Hilda Carline, John Sell Cotman and John Constable, at venues including Tate, The Lowry, the Wordsworth Trust and Dulwich Picture Gallery. He contributes regularly to the educational programmes at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford and lectures at museums and galleries in Britain, Europe and the USA.

THE COUNTRY HOUSES OF YORKSHIRE

Yorkshire is the largest county in Great Britain and contains within its boundaries some of the greatest houses in the British Isles. Not only for their architecture are these places well known but also because of their settings and most of all their contents. Not least of these is Newby Hall standing on the banks of the River Ure surrounded by its celebrated gardens and containing within its walls not only an unsurpassed collection of classical sculpture but also a unique room furnished with Gobelins tapestries. Of an earlier date is Burton Agnes, attributed to the famous Elizabethan architect Robert Smythson. This house with its unique fireplace in the Great Hall, contains in its Long Gallery an unrivalled collection of Impressionist paintings which form a dramatic contrast with their vibrant colours to the 16th century room in which they are housed. These, and other houses such as Harewood, Castle Howard, and Brodsworth, comprise some of the great houses of the county. These houses span the period from the 16th to the 19th century, when the region was in the forefront of events and enjoyed a thriving social and business life. A brief look to give some idea of the variety of houses in the county, stonebuilt, brick-built, or country retreat, along with those created by aristocratic wealth or ‘new’ money in the 19th century.

Nicholas Merchants career has mirrored his abiding interest in antiques. He has worked for some of the major auction houses in London as well as running his own book business devoted to the decorative and fine arts. His particular interest is English 18th century furniture and country houses; he enjoys discussing objects, particularly in their historical context. He lectures extensively in the USA, South Africa, Europe and UK, including the V&A, as well as for the principal cruise lines. Former Chairman of the West Yorkshire Art Fund. He arranges specialist short breaks for collectors and a range of prestigious clients including groups of The Arts Society who enjoy visiting the treasures of the UK.

Lucy is an editorial and documentary photographer drawn to stories of people and their landscape. Informed by her background in wildlife conservation and rural development in West and East Africa and the UK, her interest is in the impressions we leave on each other, on the land, and the marks that a place may leave on us. Lucy works to develop understanding and trust with the people she photographs, allowing a natural authenticity into her environmental portraits. She uses a handheld camera and available light, reaching into the shadows of the natural world, or dark domestic and agricultural interiors, most often choosing to work in black and white. Her long-term project, Ford of the Sorrel tells stories of the interwoven lives and deep sense of connection between people and the land in her home village on the edge of the North York Moors. The work was published by Bluecoat Press in 2021 and shortlisted for Belfast Photo Festival 2022. Lucy combines commissioned work for editorial and private clients with personal work for publication and exhibition. From her home studio in Yorkshire, she produces limited edition prints on heavyweight, matte, fine art paper.

“These wonderful photographs are poems and short stories; they are miniatures and epics; they are tiny movements at the edge of the folding map and huge gestures at the vortex of the turning world. Lucy Saggers’ images have the timelessness of cave paintings but, somehow, the modernity of Instagram. We share their humanity and they amplify ours. Swim around in these deep, deep photographs and then look around your own street, your own village, your own neighbourhood and try and find the timeless stories there because in the end none of us, as Lucy Saggers proves, is very far from the centre of things.”

BAROQUE ON A ROLL

Tony will talk about the increasing popularity of classical music, especially amongst young people. He will provide examples of how classical music enhances the mood - the drama, the tension, the romance -of feature films. He will also show examples of how it has made many TV commercials truly memorable, for example he will describe how a piece by an obscure 17th century German Composer has become our No.1 favourite at weddings and funerals.

Tony Rawlins

Tony was educated at Highgate School, starting his career in advertising in 1965 as a mail boy in J.Walter Thompson. He graduated through the training system there to become an account director and subsequently worked in a number of agencies before setting up on his own in 1985. There he handled primarily Guinness advertising in Africa and the Caribbean, where he produced many commercials and print ads for them over a period of 15 years. He remains active as a consultant in the industry, but now concentrates on more philanthropic projects - producing a film in the rural villages of Nigeria for the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. More recently he has completed a sanitation project in Haiti after it was devastated by Hurricane Matthew in 2016. He has been a member of The Arts Society for many years. His earlier lecturing experience includes presenting to client groups, sales conferences and students of creative advertising in the UK and overseas. More recently he has been lecturing to Arts Societies in the UK and Europe.

BANKSY - FRAUD OR GENIUS

The lecture will trace the story of Banksy’s humble beginnings as a tagger on the streets of Bristol in the 1980’s to one of the most recognisable names in the art world. We will examine the reasons behind his incredible rise, looking at some of his famous stunts and discuss what his influence has been on the art market today and look at what his legacy, if any, might be.

Pepe Martinez

Pepe qualified as a London blue badge tourist guide in 2011, graduating at the top of his class. Since qualifying as a guide he has specialised in the graffiti and street art of East London. Prior to becoming a London blue badge, he was a tour manager for 15 years, travelling extensively, all over the world.

JOHN DUNCAN FERGUSSON: SCOTTISH COLOURIST

A friend of Picasso, a fearless penny farthing rider and a man who claimed not to

remember when his birthday was, because it was how well you felt and what you did that

mattered, John Duncan Fergusson was in Paris when it was the centre of the world for

artists and the birthplace of modern art. He and his partner Margaret Morris, the pioneer of

modern dance, formed a lifelong artistic partnership in which each spurred the other on to

fulfil their potential. This lecture will introduce the man and his work, and discuss his

important role in supporting younger artists right to the end of his long and happy life.

Julia Marwood

Julia has loved looking at art since discovering the work of Gustav Klimt while teaching

English in Austria as part of her German degree course at the University of Durham. She

spent the first part of her career teaching German, then did a Master’s in Teaching English

at the University of Manchester, and went on to teach international students in the city. She

became a tour guide at Manchester Art Gallery and knew at once that this was what she

really wanted to do, spending every spare moment learning about art history. She

eventually left language teaching in 2018 and since then has loved spending all her time

sharing her passion for art as a speaker to many different groups. She became an

Accredited Lecturer of The Arts Society in 2020, specialising in Scottish art from 1880 and

the art of Manchester. She and her astronomer husband love to travel around Europe and

take every opportunity to visit art galleries wherever they go, but Scotland has always

been their favourite destination!

THE ART OF THE HERO: COMMEMORATING SCOTT OF THE ANTARCTIC

Captain Scott and his four companions died in the Antarctic in 1912. Although they had

lost the race to the South Pole to Norwegian Roald Amundsen, their deaths unleashed an

astonishing wave of tributes not only in Britain but around the world. This lecture will

examine the different ways in which artists represented death in the polar wasteland and

portrayed failure as heroic sacrifice.

Dr. Max Jones

Formerly a Fellow and Director of Studies in History at Christ's College, Cambridge, Max

now teaches at the University of Manchester and has previously won the university’s

‘Teacher of the Year’ award. He specializes in the cultural history of war and heroism, and

is currently writing a new history of British heroes. Public lecturing is Max’s passion.

Alongside lectures at Manchester and other universities, he has spoken about his

research to public audiences throughout the UK and beyond, from the Isles of Scilly to

Hobart, Tasmania.

“CARAVAGGIO IS NOT THE ONLY ARTIST:” A STUDY OF HIS CONTEMPORARIES

AND THEIR VARIED RESPONSE TO HIS REVOLUTIONARY ART

What misfortune to be an artist born at the same time as a dazzling personality like

Michelangelo or Caravaggio. Perhaps we should pay more attention to the artists

contemporary with and learning from such overpowering characters? This lecture

repositions Caravaggio’s achievements in the period immediately following his brilliant but

short career. Turning over the page of art history, it presents the splendid achievements of

many artists such as Gentileschi, - father and daughter - the Spaniards Ribera and

Velázquez, the Dutch Honthorst, French artists Vouet, and de la Tour, and ultimately

connecting him to Rembrandt. It also asks “what happened next?” - how was it that

Caravaggio’s style came to lose its hold and that fashion in art began to change.

Chantal Brotherton-Ratcliffe

MA in History of Art from Edinburgh, PhD from the Warburg Institute, London University.

With 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. Having also trained as a paintings conservator, she

brings an understanding of the making and the physical painting to her lectures and study

sessions.

Merchants of the Dutch Golden Age filled their town houses with paintings. But these upright Calvinist citizens rejected biblical subjects and Baroque melodrama. Favourite themes were found closer to home. Still Lifes reflect the prosperity and self-esteem of the new Republic. But is there more to Dutch art than meets the eye? Banquets and breakfasts celebrate an abundance of foodstuffs. Could the curl of lemon peel, platter of oysters, bowl of blemished fruit warn of the dangers of gluttony and pleasures of the flesh? Join me to explore the secret symbolic language of Still Life paintings and become a fluent reader of ‘Double Dutch’!

This lecture traces the significance and use of beds from the medieval period through to the 18th century. The significance of beds through the ages can be judged by the prominence given to them in wills and inventories - Shakespeare, in his will, left his wife Anne “my second best bed” - and modern day audiences may be surprised to learn that in times gone by, married or single, rich or poor, one never slept alone…

Can a single year adequately encapsulate an artistic environment in British art history?This lecture explores that year’s many aspects of decorative and fine art. The fully illustrated talk examines the work of Cecil Beaton; magazine, poster and Penguin paperback book design; architecture; Silver Jubilee memorabilia; commemorative stamps; locomotive design and fashion. We also review Art Deco interiors on stylish cruise liners and film sets, sporting and motoring trivia are also revealed.

What happens behind the scenes at different Museums and Galleries in preparing prints, drawings and watercolours for an exhibition? Katharine will show examples of a works of art by famous artists such as Millais, Turner and others that she has conserved to illustrate how a paper conservator carries out different treatments to works of art on paper so they are restored back to life and can be enjoyed in public galleries and private homes.

A general introduction to the tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. This lecture explores the history, art and culture of this extraordinary country, which for centuries has preserved its traditional Buddhist values. Over the last few decades there have been many changes; such as the introduction of roads, television and tourism. Will Bhutan be able to maintain the fine balance between tradition and modernity without diminishing its unique culture?

After nearly 20 years in the British army, Imogen Corrigan studied Anglo-Saxon & Medieval History and Art.

There is far more to be discovered about the Bayeux Tapestry. Who made it? Where? Why? What information can it offer us? Not just a narrative of the most famous battle in English history, but of the build-up to it. A moral story showing that good cannot come to oath breakers. Astory of kings, chivalry and ambition. Many crucial events are omitted -why? The lecture looks at many of the scenes in detail and explores what might be learned from this depiction of a turning point in our history.