Three Great Cathedrals
It is probably fair to say that the Medieval Cathedrals are the ultimate expression of British Architecture. A product of unshakable Christian faith, they represented for many the concept of the Heavenly Jerusalem on Earth as described in the Book … More details …
Art in America
How does America see its self and how do we see America? A study day which takes a look at American Art and questions what we see and what we are shown. Works by several artists will be looked at … More details …
‘Deeds not Words’: The Suffragette Movement and my Lancashire Grandmother
Jane Crozier will talk about the Suffragettes through the experiences of her grandmother, ‘Red Nellie’, who, as a militant from Preston, was arrested for throwing stones through windows, twice went on hunger strike and was force fed in Holloway prison. … More details …
Merchants and Adventurers
Merchants and Adventurers: Life in the Tudor port of Bristol and beyond. Who were some of the important people behind its rise to fame ……And how did it go on to even ‘greater’ things? Bristol has been an important sea … More details …
Trolloping along
We will focus on Trollope’s Dr Thorne and Framley Parsonage, continuing the Barchester Chronicles series. It is not necessary to have read the earlier books to enjoy this course.
More details ...Life in Ancient Rome: a further exploration
This course will continue exploring aspects of life in Ancient Rome, using contemporary art and literature. It is not necessary to have attended the earlier course as the topics are ‘stand alone’.
More details ...Bohemians in Paris
Paris is a magnet for talent, much of it existing on the margins of conventional society. Many of these bohemian figures would later become the centre of the art establishment. This course explores Modigliani, Picasso, Man Ray, and more.
More details ...Medieval Craftsmen
They were the elite of the workforce who created the great woodcarvings, wall paintings, stone carvings and stained glass. This is a journey through their works and their worlds.
More details ...Painting and Film in the 20th Century
Film is regarded as the main visual art form of the 20th century; it has had a close relationship to painting from its very beginning. This study day will take a look at how the influence of painting on film … More details …
Realism and Tinsel: The Representation of Women in British Films 1939-1945
In 1943 Michael Balcon, head of Ealing Studios, contrasted the “tinsel” of “escapist” fare to the “realism” of the more down-to-earth films he advocated in time of war. The day will look at the ways in which women were represented … More details …
The Evolution of Film Music
A six-session study of film music from the earliest simple film reels with live music, to the sprawling scores of modern cinema. Session 1: Music for a New Visual Age Exploring the music of the silent age – live scores … More details …
First Penguins: A Revolution in Reading
What do The Unpleasantness at The Bellona Club, by Dorothy L. Sayers, Gone to Earth, by Mary Webb, and Carnival, by Compton Mackenzie have in common? They are numbers 5, 9 and 10 on Penguin’s list. We will discuss characters, … More details …
Three Imperial Cities: Rome, Constantinople and Ravenna
An exploration of the three imperial capitals of the late Roman Empire, linking the physical appearance, the art and the architecture with the religious and ideological preoccupations of the society of Late Antiquity.
More details ...Americans in Paris
Paris has been a catalyst for some of America ’s finest thinkers and creators. From Thomas Jefferson to Gene Kelly, this course explores their reasons for going there and the work they produced. The main focus will be art (Sargent, … More details …
Landscapes in Literature
An exploration of British landscape writing through selected texts of poetry and prose, from 19th century industrial and post-industrial landscapes, to the ‘new nature writing’ of the 21st century.
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