Virgil’s “Aeneid” (Sarah Ruden verse translation)
In our reading and discussion of the “Aeneid”, we shall be looking at the mythology of the fall of Troy, the themes of fate and destiny, the importance of ‘pietas’ and ‘virtus’ in relation to the character of Aeneas. We … More details …
The Plantagenets: Monarchy, Knighthood, Chivalry
From Henry II to Richard II, eight Plantagenet kings ruled England. Throughout the period the monarchy provided a rich Kaleidoscope of personality and ability. The reigns of Richard I and King John will be briefly covered to avoid any repeat … More details …
From Scarlet Pimpernel to Horatio Hornblower – reading four early twentieth century romance novels
What is it about the historical romance that has attracted readers and writers? Are they pure escapism? Perhaps we can find clues by looking at some of the twentieth century roots of the genre. We will discuss ‘The Scarlet Pimpernel’ … More details …
The Art of Australia – Modern painting in the 20th century
How modern painting developed in Australia from the 1920s to the 1970s. This will include the wide range of painters of the post impressionist era known as the ‘Sydney Moderns’, the ‘Hiedi School and the painters of the post-war era.
More details ...The Origins of Us
How did we come to be here? According to current scientific understanding the Universe flared into existence 13 800 million years ago in an intense fireball. Within twenty minutes hydrogen nuclei had formed, and as the Universe cooled these were … More details …
Reading Paintings – The Dutch Golden Era
This day-school opens with a survey of the Dutch Golden Age in politics and art. We begin with the establishment of the Dutch Republic in 1588 and end with the Rampjaar (‘Terrible Year’) of 1672 when the French invaded and … More details …
Reading Three Post Modern Novels: Wide Sargasso Sea, Foe, Flaubert’s Parrot
Wide Sargasso Sea was written as a prequel to Charlotte Brontë’s 1847 novel, Jane Eyre; J. M. Coetzee reinvents Daniel Defoe’s 1719 Robinson Crusoe adventure story, and Julian Barnes novel is an attempt by a fictional biographer to write about the French … More details …
Ancient Sparta
The Spartans had a reputation that has lasted through the centuries: even today people use the term ‘Spartan’ as a descriptive. But who were they and what were they really like? This course outlines how Spartan society was organised, including … More details …
Bayeux Tapestry and Other Early Medieval Treasures
This six week course will focus on 6 early medieval objects including the Bayeux Tapestry and the Winchester Bible. Current knowledge of the making and history of each object will be discussed in detail. The Bayeux Tapestry is due to … More details …
Jon Singer Sargent and fellow artists
After the scandal of “Madame X” (1884), Sargent had to flee Paris. This course surveys what he did next, how he settled in London, and became the most sought-after portrait painter of his day. We also consider his surprising later … More details …
The Elements of Music
The Elements of Music is an illuminating full-day lecture with Ben England that reveals how the art of music is grounded in the patterns of the natural and scientific world. Through vivid examples and engaging explanations, Ben explores how vibration, … More details …
The Art of Revolution
An overview of the art and the artists involved in creating art relating to revolutionary moments in history. We shall investigate how artists depicted revolutions and how these images resonate and influence. How do these images report true event and … More details …
Playful Printmaking
Try a variety of different printing processes to make weird and wonderful artworks! We can make stencils, draw onto and into foam blocks or simply press an inked object onto paper. Small printing rollers, sponges, brushes, cardboard and found objects … More details …
From Sun Worship to Saving the World
It is abundantly clear that in our insatiable search for growth, mankind is radically changing the world in which we live. We only have one planet (despite Elon Musk’s dreams of colonising Mars), and we are in danger of damaging … More details …
The Origins of Us: the deep evolutionary story of our bodies
How did we come to be here? How did our bodies, our five senses and our exceptional brains evolve? Life emerged on our planet about 3.8 billion years ago as tiny sea dwelling bacteria: in a very real sense these … More details …