The Origins and Future of Britishness
The Origins and Future of Britishness What does it mean to be British? Does the term have any meaning in a globalised world, or when the United Kingdom is riven by rival nationalisms? This course will explore how the past has shaped our … More details …
Reading Paintings: The Victorians
READING PAINTINGS: THE VICTORIANS Explore the links between art and literature, from The Angel in the House to The Death of Chatterton. Discover the stories behind famous paintings; meet Rossetti’s elephant; find out why Van Gogh loved the social realists. A) … More details …
Hollywood and Politics
Hollywood and Politics An account of how Hollywood has portrayed the world of politics and responded to political issues. Included will be reference to the Depression/New Deal and the Cold War/McCarthyism. John Raisbeck
More details ...The Elizabethan Theatre
Elizabeth Theatre Between the building of the first English theatre in 1576 until the death of Elizabeth in 1603, some of the greatest plays ever written were produced and acted in London. We will consider how the theatres were built, … More details …
Masters of the Northern Renaissance
Masters of the Northern Renaissance ‘Renaissance’ conjures up images of Tuscany, but this course will focus on work from Flanders, the Spanish Netherlands and Germany. We will examine portraits, still-lifes, religious subjects and genre scenes by artists such as Jan … More details …
Spencer’s World: The Art of Stanley Spencer
Stanley Spencer is one of the most enigmatic painters of the 20th century. He was a painter of imaginative and religious subjects, of landscapes and portraits and an official war artist of both World Wars. His phenomenal output is considered … More details …
Looking at Old Churches
This Study Day is designed to encourage a systematic approach when confronted with an old building which may not be familiar. It is often helpful to ask a set of questions, which when completed may help to provide a reasonable … More details …
The Life and Work of Grayson Perry
An introductory look at the work of Grayson Perry. This study day will be an examination of the multi-disciplinary artist best known for his ceramics, tapestries and cross-dressing. Along with the Julie Cope tapestries, we shall discover his pottery and … More details …
The History and Natural History of British Gardens
The history and natural history of British gardens. An introduction to gardens of the British Isles, the gardeners their plants and colourful wildlife. Some of the best gardens in the world are to be found in the British Isles, this … More details …
What’s in a name? Your family through the ages.
What’s in a name? Your family through the ages The course is intended to be a relaxed and informal introduction to genealogy – with audience participation. It is aimed at complete beginners interested in understanding the richness and depth of the … More details …
Reading Paintings: Genre Pictures
From Jan Steen to Johannes Vermeer, some great artists painted genre scenes (pictures of everyday life). This course analyses some of the finest examples, including tavern scenes, brothel scenes, and servants at work. These paintings tell us an enormous amount … More details …
Reading Paintings: the Dutch Golden Age
The 1600s saw some remarkable developments in painting, with the rise of the portrait and the still life. This course traces the changing tastes of the day, with a special focus on the links between art and social history, including … More details …
Caravaggio and his legacy
One of the masters of the Baroque, Caravaggio redefined the visual image and changed painting forever. His legacy will be examined through the work of many different painters from the Baroque to the present day – the day’s key word … More details …
Exploring the Spanish Golden Age
What was it like to be a king, a dwarf or a slave in 16th and 17th century Spain? In this course we’ll use paintings to explore life at court and on the streets in Spain and the Spanish Netherlands.
More details ...Rome from the Renaissance to Mussolini
We will look at the city of Rome as a work of art exploiting the relationship between the assertion of power, the articulation of religious faith and the changing appearance the city from late Middle Ages through to Mussolini’s failed … More details …