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 …
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 …
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 …
Archaeology of the Natufian Culture – Leaving the Garden of Eden
The Natufian Culture marks perhaps one of the most extraordinary transformations of our ancient human culture. Dating to just after the last ice age (15,000 years ago) archaeological evidence shows that the culture enabled (perhaps) the first sedentary population prior … More details …
Antoni Gaudi, ‘God’s Architect’
The centenary of Gaudi’s death will be celebrated in 2026. Everything about Gaudi is larger than life including his death. Knocked down by a tram, the shabbily dressed architect was mistaken for a tramp and failed to receive medical treatment. … More details …
Virtuoso!
Journey through the dazzling world of the violin concerto in a day filled with glorious music – music that is brilliant, lyrical and deeply emotional. Our Virtuoso! day traces the violin’s story from Vivaldi’s fiery energy through the sweeping Romantic … More details …