SYNOPSES FOR WDFAS LECTURE PROGRAMME 2016-17
11 October 2016 Beyond Caravaggio : Light, darkness, and drama – the revolutionary influence of Caravaggio
With their eye-catching, dramatic lighting and intense naturalism, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio’s paintings inspired a multitude of artists during his lifetime and in the decades immediately after his untimely death. This lecture coincides with the opening of the National Gallery's new major exhibition, "Beyond Caravaggio" from 12 October 2016 to 15 January 2017.
Lydia Bauman, a guide at the National Gallery, will demonstrate how artists as diverse as Gentileschi, Valentin, and Honthorst were drawn to his strikingly original paintings, each absorbing a different aspect of his work, helping to propagate his style across Europe and giving rise to the international movement known as ‘Caravaggism’.
8 November 2016 Thomas Heatherwick: “The Leonardo da Vinci of our times” (Sir Terence Conran)
Since the 1990s, Thomas Heatherwick has emerged as one of Britain’s most gifted and imaginative designers. His multi-disciplinary approach to design, blending architecture, sculpture and engineering, is now in demand all over the world. It has prompted Sir Terence Conran, who spotted his talent early on, to describe him as “the Leonardo da Vinci of our times”. Anthea Streeter, a specialist in architecture and 20th century design, will explore Heatherwick’s career to date from his re-design of the London bus to his proposed Garden Bridge across the River Thames.
13 December 2016 Faking It – A desire to Deceive – the Allure of Jewels and Gems, from 1500
In today’s society we are used to wearing costume jewellery or buying stones that have been enhanced in some way to meet consumer demand. Susan Rumfitt, an independent jewellery advisor, auction consultant and a specialist on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, will outline how this began and when and if it really is considered an acceptable practice. From the uncovering of counterfeit rubies to the foiling of precious gemstones and from the production of 18th century elegant paste to the creation of cultured pearls, this lecture will explore the intriguing behaviour of gemstone dealers and jewellers across Europe since 1500 and their quest of deceive!
10 January 2017 The Arts and Crafts Garden Idyll
The transition from the 19th century to the 20th century saw the arrival of a new ethos of art and design and the arrival of the Arts and Crafts Garden. This lecture reveals the relationship of architects and plantsmen and the former formality of gardens being tempered by a flowery extravaganza. Marilyn Elm, a landscape architect, interior designer and lecturer will reveal the enduring qualities of a garden style, crafted at a time often regarded, as the ‘Golden Age of Gardening’.
14 February 2017 Christopher Dresser: Designer for the Modern World?
Dr Christopher Dresser, is widely regarded as the first and most important of independent designers with a lasting international reputation. In the 1930s, Pevsner hailed Chrisopher Dresser as a pioneer of modern design. But is this the best way to account for the extraordinary objects that he helped to create? Dr Suzanne Fagence Cooper, lecturer, biographer and historical consultant, considers Dresser’s work as a prolific industrial designer, the impact of mechanisation on his products and the diversity of his influences from Pre-Columbian pottery to botany.
14 March 2017 The Interiors of Jane Austen’s Heriones
Diana Lloyd, a lecturer in ceramics, glass and interior decoration will commemorate, in this lecture, the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen’s death and look at the late Georgian interiors of her heroines. The formal drawing rooms at Mansfield Park, Barton Park, Rosings and Northanger Abbey will be compared to the lesser Georgian drawing rooms in the country, London and Bath. In her novels, Austen gives us an insight into her characters’ world and Diana will highlight the fascinating details of furniture design, interior decoration including wallpaper, china and glass and the tastes and fashions of the time.
11 April 2017 Love and Loss: The Story of Orpheus and Eurydice in Art and Music
The tragic tale of the doomed legendary lovers Orpheus and Eurydice has inspired
composers and artists throughout the centuries. Dr Lois Oliver, lecturer, contributor to television and radio and an orchestral violinist, explores in this lecture the wealth of art and music on this theme. She will illustrate this tragic story of love and loss with a rich array of paintings and musical examples from Monteverdi, Gluck and Offenbach, even taking in the Can-Can!
9 May 2017 Treasures of the Turf: The Fine and Decorative Art of Horseracing
Christopher Garibaldi, currently Director of the National Horseracing Museum in Newmarket, will look at the collections of the National Horseracing Museum and how they illustrate the history of both Newmarket and the ‘Sport of Kings’ across the UK from the early 17th century to today. Christopher will map the development of the sport of Horseracing using the wealth of paintings, archive material and decorative objects associated with the sport. His lecture will examine the origins of horseracing to the present day, the Jockey Club’s HQ at Newmarket and other influential racing circuits. He will also be outlining the exciting development of the museum in partnership with the Retraining of Racehorses Charity which will accommodate live horses as part of the visitor experience.
13 June 2017Alla Moda: Mid century modern Italian Ceramics
Stylish and colourful, Italian ceramics of the 1950s-70s reflect the many developments in ceramic design and modern art of the period. Although mass produced across the world, until now little has been known about the companies, designers and influences behind them. Mark Hill, auction specialist, author, publisher, lecturer and expert on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, covers in this lecture, the major makers from Bitossi to Fantoni to the many factories of San Marino and the identity of an important forgotten factory will be revealed.