An Introduction to Katherine Mansfield: Three short stories and background
This is a chance to look more closely at three well-known stories by an author who has had a significant impact on the shaping of the British short story. We’ll discuss each of them in turn, as well as thinking … More details …
Tite Street – Whistler, Wilde and Sargent
When Oscar Wilde saw Ellen Terry step out of a carriage in Tite Street dressed as Lady Macbeth (she was sitting for John Singer Sargent), he called it a street “full of wonderful possibilities.” Whistler, who lived just down the … More details …
Discussing Chekhov: Three short stories from the greatest writer of short stories
We’ll be using three stories to think about why Chekhov has been revered by so many western short story writers for such a long period of time. How do descriptions of late nineteenth century Russia fit into the twenty-first century? … More details …
Swing, Syncopation and Soul: A Journey Through Jazz.
Step into the vibrant world of jazz in this immersive day course, perfect for music lovers of all backgrounds. We’ll trace jazz from its roots in New Orleans to its evolution through swing, bebop, and beyond, uncovering the rhythms, harmonies, … More details …
Laurie Lee: A Cotswold Countryman
Most of us have heard of Cider with Rosie, the first of Laurie Lee’s autobiographical novels about his early life in the lush beauty of the Gloucestershire countryside. Lee is rightly famous for this engaging work but his passion was … More details …
Reading Paintings: The Tudors
This day-school introduces the visual vocabulary and attributes used by painters in the 16th Century. The first illustration will be Bronzino’s “Allegory with Venus and Cupid” (c.1550). We will then consider other examples of allegory, particularly Hans Eworth’s strange portrait … More details …
Liberty, Equality, Fraternity: The revolution that reshaped France
The French Revolution (1789–1799) reshaped the political, social, and economic landscape of France and beyond. From the storming of the Bastille to the rise of radical revolutionary ideas, this course will explore the key events that led to the abolition … More details …
Dracula and The Picture of Dorian Grey: Literature of the 1890s
The period known as the fin de siècle was a time of rapid change and progress but also a period that saw a huge amount of fear over cultural, social, political and ideological change. Both these texts explore the shifts … More details …
Modernism: The Bauhaus 1919-1933
In the wake of the Great War, the Bauhaus strove to create a design ethos for a brave new socialist world. Design needed to reflect the demands of modern industrial society rather than hark back to outmoded historical styles. The … More details …
The Art of Australia: After the Goldrush
How European art evolved in Australia from the 1860s to WW1. The Ideas of Nationhood influenced many artists during the late 19th century, this can be seen in the landscape and figurative painting of this period. The main focus for … More details …
Be Still My Beating Heart: Unenviable Proposals in Fiction
This study day will look at marriage proposals across a range of nineteenth-century fiction. Whilst there will be a light-hearted consideration of the many unenviable proposals that appear in fiction from this period. We will also consider the more serious … More details …
An Introduction to Artists’ Books
Making an Artist Book combines craft with art and is an art form started in France in the early 1900s. We will look at some examples, then make a flower fold, and an accordion hard- cover book. Participants are invited … 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 …
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 …