The lecture started with a map alongside a brief history of the region and how the Greeks, The Arabs and more latterly The Soviets have influenced the various art forms .The 'Silk Road' trading route originated in this area as Chinese diplomats brought their silk to Uzbekistan to exchange for Karabair horses ; famed for their stamina and ability to negotiate rough terrain. Over time Uzbekistan became central to the network of land routes that linked East Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Europe. This also further led to exchanges of ideas relating to philosophy, religion , art and maths .Images were  Chris's own from his travels in the region and were able to show the intricate detail and vibrant colours displayed in embroidery, carpet making, silk designs , tiles and metalwork.

Traditional artisans continue to work metal, ceramics, wood and fabrics in the fertile Ferghana Valley, as they have done for thousands of years. Their beautiful creations, such as the vibrant silk 'ikat' dresses are still worn by women on special family occasions. Centrally located along the Silk Road, Uzbekistan has produced amazing art under diverse rulers such as Alexander the Great, Ancient Persians and Soviets. Famous UNESCO cities include Bukhara and Khiva, but if any place encapsulates this multi-culturalism then it is Samarkand, capital of Timur – known as Tamerlane in the West.

Mary's lecture on her own research and artistic process to create the 'New Dawn' memorial was thoroughly enjoyed by members and many have expressed interest in seeing the installation itself just above St Stephen's steps.
  Mary started by setting the context regarding her previous work as a light installation artist. The research that inspired 'New Dawn' focused on the ordinary men and women who fought for women's suffrage. The 16,500 petitions to  Parliament, the sergeant-at-arms security reports, artwork, the parliamentary Act scrolls and the anti-suffrage campaigners who were trying to 'turn the tide' all fed into Mary's ideas.
 The last part of the lecture focused on the artwork itself, from design to realisation. Production of the glass circles ( to represent the scrolls ), the metal work to support the glass ( to represent the tick er tape on each scroll and a portcullis ) and the lighting design ( the banner colours of various suffrage campaign groups ), along with the varying light states linking to the tidal flow of the Thames, were all explored in detail. One criterion was that the artwork had to last 400 years, and she had to factor in how to replace the light bulbs in an artwork that was eleven metres above the ground. The lecture rounded up with the installation process itself, which was implemented ten years ago.  Mary is preparing to exhibit imminently at Ockley Park, near Gatwick Airport.  

Members thoroughly enjoyed this lecture which gave a superlative grounding in Denmark's loss of economic power and territory through first the Napoleonic Wars and later ceding of the Schleswig- Holstein region , both of which affected the country's artistic output.

  We traced the influence of French painting on Danish landscapes and their rather idealised vistas, and the first school of Danish Art as a way of producing 'home-grown ' talent. The nature of ' the sublime ' was discussed - with no mountains ( unlike other Nordic countries) or stone monuments ( being a wood-based culture ), Danish landscape painting couldn't inspire ' awe' but was a rather quieter affair, focusing on rural scenes and the forging of an agricultural economy. The artistic community at Skagen was discussed as was the lack of female representation at this time.  

 Maps, photographs and images were all used imaginatively to illustrate the narrative.

James left a list of amajor artists.

"Golden Age" 

Jens Juel (1745-1853), C.W. Eckersberg (1783-1853), Martinus Rorbye (1803-1848), Christen Kobke (1810-1848), Louis Gurlitt (1812-1897),Dankvart Dreyer (1816-1852), P.C.Skovgaard (1817-1875), J.T.Lunbye (1818-1848), Vilhelm Kyhn (1819-1903).

"Modern Breakthrough" 

Skagen Painters : Michael Ancher (1849-1927), Anna Ancher (1859-1936), P.S.Kroyer (1851-1909), Carl Locher (1851-1915). 

Theodore Philipsen (1840-1920), L.A. Ring (1854-1933), Harald Slott-Moller (1864-1937), Vilhelm Hammershoi (1864-1916). 

Contemporary Artists:  

Soren Martinsen  (1966-): Instagram@martinsen.soren

Allan Otte (1973- ): Website https://allanotte.dk

agen Painters: 

   This lecture was informative and instructive not only about Isabella D'Este but also in the context of the early Renaissance. In discussing political alliances and the expected roles of men and women, Isabella D'Este was shown to be unusual in that she supported not only the 'feminine' decorative arts such as painting, music and ceramics but 'masculine' ones such as collecting Roman statuary and relief sculpture, in the manner of Roman coins. Her public image, projected through fashion and jewellery, was also discussed, as was her need to act as Regent before her son came of age.

Artwork references: 1. The Portrait of Isabella D’Este, drawing by Leonardo Da Vinci, 1499/1500 2. Bust of Francesco II Gonzaga attributed to Gian Cristoforo Romano. 3. Vinti dai Cavalli di Francesco II Gonzaga: record of his stud farm from 1512-1518. 4.Casanatense Chansonnier, (Codex Caseinates 2856), likely a wedding-related gift for Isabella D’Este. 5. Portrait of Isabella  D’Este by Titian,1534. She was 60 and portrayed as younger. 6. Portrait medal, bronze,  by Gian Cristoforo Romano. 7. Statue of Sleeping Cupid by Michelangelo, likely lost in the great fire of the Palace of Westminster. 8. Painting: ‘Parnassus 1497’ by Mantegna. 9. Painting: ‘The Conflict of Love and Chastity ‘ by Perugino,1505. 10. Portrait of Federico  II Gonzaga by Titian, 1529. 11. ‘The Garden of Peaceful Arts’ otherwise known as  ‘The Reign of Comus’ by Lorenzo Costa, 1504-1506. 12. The majolica dinner service given to Isabella d’Este by her daughter includes a specific dish,’ Hippolytus and Phaedra’, with the Gonzaga/D’Este emblem on it. 

   Mark Cottle kept us enthralled by his account of this expedition, recorded by Frank Hurley, the expedition's official photographer. Ernest Shackleton managed to bring his group of men home safely.                                                                                                                          Mark’s two themes were: a) about leadership, and b) the ‘worst’ journey in the world.        

I have included the reading list in the photo to help you delve deeper into this stirring tale.

The plan was for Shackleton to lead an Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition across Antarctica via the South Pole. He gained experience by accompanying Scott on his 1901 trip to the South Pole; the two did not get on. Frank Wild was also on that trip and was recruited by  Shackleton for his first expedition in 1907, which had to turn back. Wild was appointed Second in Command of the Endurance expedition. Five thousand people responded to the advertisement for 26 places. It was 1914, and war had been declared, but Churchill told Shackleton to ‘Proceed’.

The slides were a crucial part of the lecture, mostly in black and white, illustrating locations and participants, and included key components such as the ship ‘Endurance’, different types of ice, and the incredible dogs. We learned about Perce Blackborow, the stowaway; Frank Worsley, the inspirational skipper; and McNish, the creative carpenter and troublemaker. The boat became icebound in February 1915; they had no dynamite aboard. How to keep morale up?  Musical evenings, film shows, plays, and football games. All these, apart from mundane jobs such as hunting seals, cleaning, washing, and cooking. They abandoned ship on October 27th, and she sank on November 21st. Thankfully, Hursley’s 120 canisters of negatives were amongst the stores retrieved. None of the dogs survived.  They rowed, on three lifeboats, for Elephant Island. Shackleton and five others then set sail for South Georgia, leaving Frank Wild with the remaining crew on the island with two lifeboats for shelter. The ‘James Caird’ lifeboat made it to South Georgia after sixteen difficult days of weather; the whaling station was on the other side of the island. Crean, Worsley and Shackleton made the previously uncharted, perilous journey by land and arrived 36 hours later. It was three months overdue before Shackleton could get a ship to retrieve the rest of his crew (there was a war on!). They make it back to civilisation via Punta Arenas, Chile, in 1916, to great acclaim.  Many received the Polar medal. 

The use of ‘Still life’ with fruit and flowers slowed to a halt with the advent of Christianity, with the use of gold backgrounds. Evidence of still life has been found in Greek architecture and sculpture. They were reproduced by the Romans; some were found in Pompeii and Herculaneum. Clare produced a breathtaking range of slides/paintings, illustrating the way through history.

Still life was generally considered the lowest or near-lowest genre in the traditional Western European hierarchy of painting, which was the dominant theory in academic art from the 17th century until the mid-19th century. However, it came into its own in the Netherlands in the 17th century, with the burgeoning middle classes and Protestantism.

This rigid hierarchy began to dissolve with the rise of modern art movements in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Still life was an area dominated in the early 20th century by female artists, who had limited access to art schools.

Artists such as the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists challenged these traditional distinctions, focusing on colour, light, and form rather than narrative content. The work of artists such as Paul Cézanne elevated still life by using it to explore new ideas about composition and perception, moving it far beyond its previously low status. We ended with Pablo Picasso’s ‘Still Life with Violin and Fruits’ (1912).

We feasted on different techniques used, over time, and I have listed some of the paintings Claie showed us:

Robert Campin: Annunciation Triptych (Merode Altarpiece) ca.1427–32 .Hubert and Jan Van Eyck: The Ghent Altarpiece (1432). Petus Christus: Portrait of a Carthusian (1446).Hans Memling: Portrait of a Young Man Praying with Flowers in a Jug (1494) .Albrecht Dürer: The Great Piece of Turf (1503).Pieter Aertsen: Butcher's Stall (1551). Vincenzo Campi: The Fruit Seller(1580). Jan Breughel the Elder: The Little Bouquet (1599). Clara Peters:Still Life with Cheeses, Almonds and Pretzels, ca.1615.Jacob Jordaens: Allegory of Fruitfulness (1629).         Rachel Ruysch: Vase of Flowers (1706). Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin: Still Life with Pipe (1737). Edouard Manet: Flowers in a Crystal Vase (1882).Paul Cezanne: Still Life  with Skull,1895-1900

What a glorious romp up to Christmas with Barry, and his tales of Giles, the Giles family and particularly Grandma! There was much laughter at Barry's amusing delivery. The Giles family have been a part of so many people's lives. 

Barry produced a slide of Grandma, with her rolled-up umbrella, padlocked bag and Butch, her Airedale dog, modelled on Britannia. A Guinness bottle hides (illegally) in the background. Grandma epitomises Carl Giles in many ways. (See JAK cartoon (1985), with Grandma’s figure and Gile’s face.)  

Giles' annual income was £ 12k in the 1950s. He produced three cartoons one week and four the next for the Daily Express, which he joined in 1943. The drawings would take between 5 and 6 hours, incorporating a second joke. His annuals became very popular. The front cover set the scene, with the punchline on the back.

Giles was the son of a tobacconist in Islington. His favourite teacher at Barnsbury Park School was William Chalk, the source of his cartoon character, the dreaded ‘Chalky’.

Gile’s grandfather was a jockey. Giles' dream to succeed him was dashed when he became too tall. He went to Wardour Street to make animated ads at the age of 14. He never had any formal art training. He helped Alex Corda make a full-length animated film, ‘Fox Hunt', and with the proceeds bought a motorcycle, which nearly killed him. He became deaf in one ear and had impaired vision in one eye. The Army rejected him in WW2, and he became a war correspondent. He was present when Belsen was liberated, and became a pacifist.                                                                                                                                                       In 1942, Giles married his first cousin, Sylvie, and they decided not to have any children. The couple moved to their pig farm in Suffolk.       

What to do at the end of the war when Giles could no longer make jokes at the expense of the Axis leaders?  This was when the Giles Family were formed. Giles would reproduce all things British in his cartoons, including the weather, politics, and current trends. In one cartoon, Grandma plays poker with Santa Claus: Santa has five kings in his hand, and Grandma has five aces. In 1971, compulsory sex education was introduced into schools. Ernie (grandson) says to his best friend, Stinker, with Stinker's mother, Grandma, droopy aunt Vera, and his sleeping father nearby: ‘Nobody can convince me that our relatives had anything to do with sex!’                                                                                                                                          Leo Baxendale produced the Bash Street Kids cartoon strip after seeing Giles' work. Great fans included Frank Sinatra, Joanna Lumley, Billy Connolly and the Duke of Edinburgh. Many of these were called upon to write the introduction to the annual.

He was not an easy man and was compared to his editor, Arthur Christiansen, whom he disliked. Both had foul tempers, were foul-mouthed and late for everything. He enjoyed Guinness, driving his Jag at Silverstone and playing the piano in an American GI jazz band. He would not bring his cartoon up to London but put it on the train. If the weather were bad, a helicopter would be sent to his farm in Suffolk.                                                                      Giles retired in 1991. In 1993, a statue of Grandma was unveiled in the centre of Ipswich. Eight months after his wife died, Giles followed in 1995.

Giles provided cartoons for charities such as the RNLI so that we can see his work to the present day.

James opened the lecture by quoting Ronnie Wood (The Rolling Stones) ‘All roads lead to and from Mozart. We had clips, quips and ad-libs!

James set the scene: the Italians invented opera in the 1600s. Its origins were formed under the auspices of the Camarata of Florence, sponsored by the Government, part of the Renaissance. Claudio Monteverdi moved to Venice, which became the capital of Opera. The French then caught the bug, including Henry Purcell. Handel brought opera to England in the next century. In Opera, four songs can happen simultaneously, which is not possible in a play.

Mozart was the youngest of seven, born in Salzburg. His father, Leopold, was a musician and deputy capellmeister. Mozart was a child prodigy; he wrote his first symphony at the age of eight. He and his father toured 88 cities. Mozart had a gift for absorbing and adapting the valuable features of others' music, including that of Bach, Handel, and Hayden. Archbishop Colloredo employed him in Salzburg as court organist and concert master, but dismissed him, in 1781, much to his father's dismay. Delighted, Mozart moved to Vienna, where he worked as a pianist and developed concertos. He lodged with the Webers and married Constanze. His first opera, ‘Indomeno’, (1871) was in Italian and set in Crete. Emperor Joseph I commissioned him to write another opera, ‘Die Entführung aus dem Serail’ in German, set in Istanbul (1872). He conducted this himself. At that time, new instruments were being created and developed, which added richness to the music.  Lorenzo de Ponte wrote the libretti for Marriage of Figaro (1786), Don Giovanni  (1787) and Così fan tutte (1791). Opera was moving on from what James described as ‘Park and Bark’ to one of tragedy with jokes. James explored a couple of operas in detail. 

The Austro-Turkish wars proved a challenging time for musicians, who faced reduced patronage. Mozart produced the Magic Flute (1791). He died later that year from unknown causes.

James concluded with a clip from ‘Queen of the Night’ produced in San Francisco (2024), which used a silent-film style with 1920s aesthetics and animated projections.  What a finale! 

The Basque Country straddles France and Spain. For many years, Bilbao was a thriving port and a centre for mining, industry, and shipbuilding, which then went into decline. In the 1990s, the Basque government decided to revitalise Bilbao through culture and decided to invest 1.5 million dollars into the city. They had the idea to approach the Guggenheim Foundation for a Museum to be constructed in Bilbao.

 The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation was established in 1937. Peggy Guggenheim opened her private museum in Venice in 1951, followed by the opening of the New York Museum in 1959. The Guggenheim Museum sought to expand its collection globally, and the Bilbao request was adopted.

Frank Gehry was appointed as the architect. His proposal was accepted because he paid homage to the legacy of shipbuilding and manufacturing. The building was completed within four years and, within seven months, had paid for itself. The locals' name for it is ‘The Artichoke’.

Frank Gehry is a Canadian-American who rose to prominence in the 1970s with his distinctive style that blended everyday materials with complex, dynamic structures. He is mindful of the environment and local culture. He was influenced by the ‘Unique Forms of Continuity in Space’ sculpture by Umberto Boccioni, with its powerful sense of movement. He produced notable works, including The Winton Guest House, Minnesota (1987) - inspired by the still-life paintings of Giorgio Morandi, the Fish sculpture in front of the Port Olímpic in Barcelona (1992), and the Dancing House in Prague (1996), nicknamed Ginger and Fred. There are many more.

Sian showed us the initial squiggles Frank used to generate the composition of this building, which were converted into 3D models made of paper and card. Frank Gehry wanted the building to be in the heart of the city, which is why it is beside the main bridge bringing traffic into Bilbao. The three levels of the building are organised around the Atrium and are connected by means of curved walkways, titanium and glass elevators, and staircases. The limestone employed is the same as that used in the university across the river. Most Museums are accessed via a wide staircase, but instead of going up, the visitor is directed down to the entrance. The titanium skin shimmers like fish scales.

Sian compared the National Pride of the Basque people to that of the Welsh. The Signage in the Museum is in three languages: Basque, Spanish and English. There is a dedicated gallery for Basque artworks. Sadly, the application to display ‘Guernica’ by Picasso was turned down. The exhibitions change regularly; it’s worth checking before you go.  

Externally, at the entrance, is a structure by Jeff Combs called ‘The Puppy’, which is made from bedding plants that are renewed twice a year. Between the Museum and the Bilbao Estuary squats the elegant spider sculpture ‘Maman’ (1999), made by Louise Bourgeois from bronze, stainless steel, and marble.

Sian held us enthralled with her stories about the Guggenheims, the history of Bilbao, the construction of the Artichoke and works done by Frank Gehry. One little-known fact: a DNA link has been found between the Welsh and the Basque. 

When I first saw the title, I wondered how it could possibly work, but after listening to the excellent lecture and viewing the slides, it all made sense.

Little is known of Stubbs' early life; the only source is Ozias Humphrey’s memoir. Stubbs was born in Liverpool to a ‘currier’ who finally succumbed to his son’s request to enrol him with the painter, Hamlet Winstanley. The relationship was an unhappy one, and Stubbs left soon after. He was, in effect, self-taught. He developed contacts during his time there who were useful for a budding jobbing portraitist. Apparently, Stubbs considered Reynolds his rival, but his reputation would always be that of a ‘sporting painter’. Our lecturer described the hierarchy of painting in the 18th century, with Mythology at the top and Animals at the bottom.

In 1745, Stubbs taught anatomy to medical students at the newly founded York County hospital, where he collaborated with obstetrician, Dr John Burton, engraving the plates for ‘ An Essay towards a complete system of Midwifery’ (1751).

Christopher compared Leonardo da Vinci’s drawing of the ‘Vitruvian Man’ (1490) with Stubbs ‘Study of the Human Figure – anterior view’ taken from his publication ‘A Comparative Anatomical Exposition’ (1803–1806).  Both artists' knowledge of anatomy is vividly reflected in their art.

Stubbs' intention was to work from nature, and his trip to Rome, where he studied the classics, did nothing to change his view. However, something did make a great impression: the sculpture of a horse being attacked by a lion and the symbolism this incurred. This image would recur in his paintings.

On his return to England, he spent 18 months dissecting horses to establish anatomical detail for ‘Anatomy of the Horse’ (1766). It took him six years in London to engrave the 24 plates. Finally, his work was published as a ‘subscription volume’ and was a great success. He acquired many patrons, especially amongst the racing fraternity. The patronage of the Marquess of Rockingham was one of the most important relationships in Stubbs's career, placing him at the forefront of equine art. His most famous commission was of  ‘ Whistlejacket’, unusual because it had no background.

Stubbs portrayed horses with all four feet off the ground. It wasn’t until 1878 that Eadweard Muybridge took a series of photos of horses in motion showing all four feet off the ground, but beneath the body, and not extended, correcting this inaccuracy.

Commissions gradually decreased for Stubbs, and he started a final project –  A Comparative Anatomical Exposition of the Structure of the Human Body with that of a Tiger and a Common Fowl. It was unfinished because he died in 1806.  

This lecture tells the remarkable story of the fabled Ballets Russes company, which Diaghilev established in Paris in 1909.  Building on the achievements of Tchaikovsky and Petipa, Diaghilev and his associates brought about nothing less than a revolution in classical dance, which was dazzling to the eye and would have a lasting impact not only on all the arts.  The lecture will discuss how artists of the calibre of Bakst, Goncharova, Picasso, and Matisse, worked with composers such as Stravinsky, Debussy, and Ravel, choreographers such as Fokine and Balanchine, and dancers such as Pavlova, Karsavina, and Nijinsky to create ballet stagings of genius.

Review:

This was a fascinating lecture; it filled in so many gaps in my knowledge, and the black and white ballet clips were fascinating.  He studied law in St. Petersburg, but in the late 1890s, he organised several art exhibitions aimed at introducing contemporary artists to the local public and, later, to Europeans. He was appointed chief editor of

Mir iskusstva (World of Art), a Russian magazine, which played a significant role in shaping the Russian avant-garde. The movement was deeply influential to Russian artists who contributed to the 20th-century revolution in European art. 

There are few pictures of him. Rosamund showed us a portrait of him by Léon Bakst in 1905.

He took Russian operas to Paris, and after the second intermission, he would provide a ballet. He founded the Ballets Russes in 1909 and continued to direct it until his death in 1929. He converted ballet from a frivolous art form into one of elegance. He managed to pioneer international collaboration, which was challenging with the communication tools of the time. His hunger for the ‘new’ kept pace with creative change. Diaghilev’s innovation was to synthesise dance, music and visual arts with set decorations and costumes into a single performance.

He launched the careers of many notable figures, including Dostoevsky, Chaliapin, Debussy, and Stravinsky. He had excellent designers, such as Leon Bakst, and ballerinas like Marie Taglioni, Nijinsky, and Alicia Markova.

Nijinsky and Diaghilev would become lovers until 1913, when Nijinsky married Romola de Pulszky, a persistent suitor. Leonide Massine succeeded Nijinsky.  

Diaghilev toured the ballets in the Americas and Britain, but never his homeland, Russia. He was not welcome after the Revolution in 1917.   Diaghilev managed to overcome his fear of dying in water and travelled by boat.

In 1929, Diaghilev died and was buried in Venice. He managed to bring ballet to the attention of the public, not just the aristocracy. 

Rosalind spoke about the Scottish Enlightenment, the Glasgow Boys, Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Scottish Colourists. She gave us a flavour of the independent art scenes in Edinburgh and Glasgow with fine stories and excellent slides.

She spoke about Allan Ramsay (he eloped with his second wife), Alexander Nasmyth, Sir Henry Raeburn and Sir David Wilkie. She set the scene with Alexander's painting of Princes Street, which depicted the construction of the Royal Institution during a time of physical and intellectual growth in Edinburgh. Both Ramsay and Nasmyth worked in London, Nasmyth returned to Edinburgh and moved from portraiture to landscape. David Wilkie was one of his pupils, renowned for his genre paintings.

Glasgow was booming in the nineteenth century, providing an ideal environment for the Glasgow Boys. They were interested in depicting ‘real life’. (There were a couple of Glasgow Girls.) Rosalind said it was easier to define their work by ‘what they were avoiding’, for example, ‘The Monarch of the Glen’ by Landseer (1851). She spoke about James Guthrie and John Lavery, who would become portrait painters. George Henry and E.A. Hornel painted together, reflecting their interest in folklore. They employed high horizons and large brush strokes, blending their subjects with their backgrounds. Alexander Reid, an art dealer, funded their trip to Japan, resulting in a change in painting style. This group paved the way towards Modernism.

Rosalind spoke about Charles Rennie Macintosh. Rennie was an architect and studied at the Glasgow School of Art in the evenings, where he met and married Mary McLeod.  Her sister, Frances and husband, Herbert McNair, made up the Glasgow Four. Rennie described his wife as ‘a genius’. Their signature rose, unusual buildings and furniture design paved the way for Art Nouveau. He designed the new premises for the Glasgow School of Art, which burned down in 2018. In 1902, he was commissioned by wealthy publisher Walter Blackie and his family. to build and design Hill House. The house is now enclosed in a mesh box to protect it from the weather.  The two travelled to France and back to England, where he was accused of being a spy before WW1, which was disproved. He spent his latter years painting. His works are in the Hunterian Museum, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow.

Rennie had links with the Scottish Colourists: GL Hunter, SJ Peploe, JD Ferguson and FCB Cadell. They all visited France and returned using bolder colour and freer brushwork, which was unheard of then. Hunter’s family emigrated to California, where he became an illustrator. After the earthquake in San Francisco in 1906, he returned to Scotland. Melville influenced Ferguson, who moved eventually to the South of France with his business partner Margaret Morris, where he also worked on sculpture.  Cadell’s metier was stylish interiors and still life. After he enlisted for WWI, his style changed. Peploe, introduced to bold colours inspired by the bright sunlight in Northern France, extrapolated the technique while painting on the island of Iona.

I can't wait to return to Scotland to see these paintings.

List of paintings:

Allan Ramsay: ‘King George III in Coronation Robes’ (1785),  ‘David Hume’ the Philosopher (1766), ‘Jean Luc Rousseau’ the Philosopher (1766).Alexander Naysmith: ‘Self Portrait’ (1756), ‘Margaret Lindsay Evelike- Artist’s Wife’ (1758- 1760), ‘Princes Street’ (1785), ‘Robert Burns’ (1787). Sir Henry Raeburn: ‘Self Portrait’ (1820), ‘Boy and Rabbit’ (1814),  ‘Reverend Walker Skating on Doddington Loch’ (1795). Sir David Wilkie:  ‘Self Portrait’ (1804/5), ‘Pitlessie Fair’ (1804), ‘Village Politicians’ (1806),  ‘The Blind Fiddler’ (1806).

J.M.W. Turner: ‘A Country Blacksmith’  (1807).

Peter Gordon:’ Wandering Shadows’  (1878), Sir James Guthrie:  ‘A Highland Funeral’  (1882), A Hinds Daughter’ (1883), Edward Atkinson Hornel: ‘ Mine Own Back Garden (1887) , ‘Two Geishas’ (1921-25), George Henry: ‘The Hedge Cutter’ (1886), Arthur Melville: ‘ Cabbage Garden’ (1877). William York McGregor:’ Vegetable Stall’ (1884). Vincent Van Gogh: ‘Alexander Reid’ (1887). David Gauld: A Galloway Farm’ (1895?) and  ‘A Breton Village ‘ (1895).

Photograph by Walter Blackie: ‘Main Bedroom Hill House’ (1900-1904).

SJ Peploe: ‘The Black Bottle’  (1905), ‘Tulips in a Pottery Vase’ (1913), ‘Roses’ (1920), ‘Iona’ (1921-1928). FCB Cadell: ’ The Model’ (1912),  ‘The Feathered Hat’ (1915). Ferguson: ‘ On the Beach at Tangier’ (1899), ‘Dieppe 14th July 1905: Night’, ‘Hat with Bird’ (1907), ‘Anne Estelle Rice’ (1907). GL Hunter: ‘A Garden Party’ Drawing  (Pictorial July 1903), ‘Still Life with Roses in a Vase and Fruit in a Bowl’, ‘Street in Venice’ (1928), ‘Reflections Balloch’ (1929-1930), a portrait of ‘Dr. Tom J. Honeyman’ (1930.

Barbara’s train was slightly delayed. She walked into the hall, put on her microphone, sorted the IT, apologised and got on with the lecture. It was fascinating, an example of what happens when a king thinks he is chosen by God, does not consider himself accountable to Parliament and subsequently bankrupts the country. Of course,  it wasn’t that simple, with deadly consequences. 

This year is the 400th anniversary of King Charles’s coronation. His coronation portrait was by Daniel Mytens. There is some debate as to whether this portrait may have been of his coronation in Scotland.

He became king when his older brother died from typhoid. He was short in stature and had a stammer. How to make his presence felt? He visited Spain incognito with the Duke of Buckingham to woo the Infanta and failed due to the conflict of religions. He discovered that King Philippe was revered by his country and had a fine art collection. The English Royal Art collection was paltry due in part to the Protestant Reformation, where devotion to religious arts was seen as idolatry. However, his mother and future wife, Henrietta, also shared his passion. He determined to develop the Royal Art Collection.

He invited Peter Paul Rubens to create the nine ceiling paintings for the Banqueting House, completing the project his father, James I and Inigo Jones started. Peter Paul Rubens described the king as’ The greatest amateur of painting among the princes of the world.’

Between 1636 and 1638, the king acquired over 500 paintings, including the collection owned by the Dukes of Mantua and 23 paintings from William Frizell.  These included artworks by Titian, Raphael, Caravaggio, De Corregio, Mantegna, Romana and Del Sarto. He was not interested in Veronese.  Charles I's primary agent for acquiring paintings was Daniel Nijs, a Flemish merchant based in Venice. Other agents included his Master of Music, Nicolas Lanier and the Duke of Buckingham, George Villiers. He appointed Anthony Van Dyck as his Court Painter. He produced ‘Charles 1st in 3 Paintings’, the reference painting used by Bernini to sculpt the King’s bust (1636). Van Dyck is also renowned for his equestrian portraits of the King.  

Abraham van der Doort drew up an inventory of the works of art, which were branded with the initials CR.

During the lecture, Barbara described how Charles' reign lurched from one disaster to the next: his wife refused to be crowned with him, he dissolved Parliament three times, then ruled without it for eleven years ( the Magna Carta and the Divine Right of Kings were a source of conflict). He provoked the Scots by introducing the Book of Common Prayer (1636), and borrowed money heavily. The Civil War broke out; a significant battle took place at Cheriton Down (Hampshire). He was imprisoned in Carisbrooke House and then Hurst Castle before his execution outside the Banqueting Hall in London in 1649.

After his death, his art collection was sold and distributed through European art galleries despite the best efforts of his son, King Charles II, to reclaim it.

Barbara recommended the book by Eikon Basilike, ‘The Portraiture of His Majesty King Charles 1st ’.

Barbara produced slides of many of the paintings in his collection, some still retained in the National Portrait Gallery, the V&A and Hampton Court. It was a fantastic morning lecture.

Associated Visit

This lecture was a brilliant introduction for those on the upcoming TASNF residential trip to Barcelona in April. Jacqueline runs tours there, and her knowledge is phenomenal.             

The lecture was about how ‘the Art of the Past’ influenced the present day, in this case, Barcelona in the 19th century. The 1880s was a time of change. Barcelona had outgrown its medieval walled city and needed to expand. Spain had lost the last of its colonies, and many returned with their wealth. The plan was to build a large square shape constrained by the topography – the Eixample. Seen from the air, it is a similar design to New York, with a diagonal boulevard running through it. The squares that make up the grid have chamfered edges.                                                                                            

Jacqueline spoke of three architects involved during this development: Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926), Lluis Domènech i Montemar (1859-1923) and Josep Puig i Cadafalch (1867 – 1956), all Catalan Modernists. 

1. Gaudi trained as an architect; his father was a coppersmith.

There were three influences on Gaudi’s design: i) Islam (ruled for 800 years) - Mudejar: tilework, spandrels, Arabic script as decoration. ii) Romanesque – including crocketing and gargoyles. Gaudi was deeply religious. iii) Art Nouveau – ironwork and glass.   Mathematics, Nature and Light (natural and electric/gas) were integral to his designs. 

 Jacqueline spoke about ‘the symbolic relationship with the patron’. One of Gaudi’s patrons was Vicens, who settled in Barcelona and owned a tile-making factory. Another lifelong patron was Guell, who discovered Gaudi’s work at the World Fair in Paris (1878). Gaudi designed many houses, palaces, the Parc Guell, churches and the Sagrada Familia cathedral with a team of artisans who enabled the construction. In 1926, he was knocked over by a tram and died from his injuries. Domènec Sugranes i Gras took over the construction, which continues today.

2. Lluis Domanech i Montenar was a Catalan who was very much involved in and influential for the Modernisme Catalàn, the Art Nouveau/Jugendstil movement. His major works are El Castell dels 3 Dragons at the World Fair (1888) and the Hospital de Sant Pau. He drew upon Hispano-Arabic architecture and Art Nouveau for inspiration. In later years, his work evolved towards more open structures and lighter materials, evident in the Palau de la Musica Catalana,1908. The concert hall is amazing and worth a visit. Catalan music is also worth listening to.  

3. Josep Puig i Cadafalch was active in politics. His 'Casa Amatller' is next door to a Gaudi building. Amattler i Costa, who commissioned it, was a chocolatier. On the exterior are gables, railings, shields and sculptures of rabbits pouring chocolate. Josep designed the 'Casa Marti' and the 'Café Torino'. (Gaudi designed the Arab room in Café Torino). Another of his well-known buildings was the 'Casa Macaya' with its Romanesque doorway. One of the sculptures on this building was of a man on his bike.

Jacqueline provided a fascinating talk and ideas of where to visit in April.

Ashley brought samples, a scarf, an exquisitely framed textile and a book ‘Paule Vezelay - Living Lines’ by Simon Grant. Ashley mentioned many associated names and I have made a list for the end of this review.

He started the lecture by stating that ‘there was no more powerful method of communication than textiles’. He maintained that textiles ‘define us’ and ‘the democratisation of modern art (in England) was through textiles’.

Things of great beauty and quality were admired more in Europe - the British awareness not so much. How to tackle this? Alastair Morton, from Edinburgh Weavers encouraged modern artists, such as Henry Moore and Lucien Freud, to design for textiles. A key enclave for these designs was the Mansard Gallery at Heals. More about Alastair later.

Ashley recommended Grace Lovat Fraser’s book, “Textiles By Britain’. Grace and her husband were friends of Paul Nash. Her husband Claud died young, and she was to become editor of the ‘Art and Industry’ magazine.

In the Middle Ages, England produced wool in great quantities, and to this day the Lord Speaker sits on a Wool Pack in Parliament. ‘Design’ came from Europe. Belgians settled in Sandwich, Kent and the Huguenots in Spitalfields, London, which helped address the design problem. (Our lecturer said that to this day there are tensions in the Central College for Arts And Crafts between the art and design departments).

So how could you access these incredible designs? Two young men, who worked with designer Claud Lovat Fraser, set up ‘Footprints’, a textile printing workshop established by Celandine Kennington (1925) in Hammersmith.’ Typical products were hand-block printed fabric, curtains, coats and shawls. The name, ‘Footprints’, relates to the foot pressure, workers applied to the blocks to print onto fabric. The studio preferred aniline dyes over vegetable dyes and lino blocks over wood. Gwen Pike supervised the workshop, and goods were sold through the shop ‘Modern Textiles', owned by Elspeth Little. She promoted designers such as Marion Dorn, Paul Nash and Enid Marx. Marion designed the carpets on ocean-going liners, and Enid designed book covers and stamps.  Both women worked on the designs for the Moquette seating on Underground trains.

Alec Walker worked in his father's silk mill in West Yorkshire, where he met a student and followed her home to Newlyn, ‘his spiritual home’. He set up shop there with designer Kay Earle. Alec visited Dufy in Paris, in1921, and influenced by his vibrant and decorative style, produced silk designs, which increased sales, all over the country.

And the Morton family? Alexander was a weaver working from home near Ayr, who became a manufacturer. His son stayed in the family business and his interest was dyes. These are imported from Germany and there was a German designer on site. He noticed how quickly his products faded in Liberty’s windows and he managed to design dyes that did NOT fade. He produces them under the name ‘Sundour’.

His son, Alastair, approached modern artists such as Nicholson and encouraged them to use their designs in textiles. Nicholson exhibited his designs at the V&A. Thanks to the introduction of rayon, and using the Jacquard weave, he changed the material's character. Spin rayon with cotton and it becomes three-dimensional.

When Germany invaded Czechoslovakia, Zik and Lida Ascher were on honeymoon. They moved to London and opened a shop in Regents Street. During the war, they persuaded Henry Moore and other artists to design for their textiles.  They asked Matisse to devise a scarf. These limited editions, the ‘Artists Squares’ became an instant hit. In 1953, the Aschers and The Ambassador magazine jointly exhibited at the ICA galleries in Pall Mall, ‘Painting into Textiles’.  

(Both Ascher and Morton would say to the artists, “Do your drawing, don’t imagine it as textiles - that’s our job.”)

The Ambassador / The British Export magazine was set up in 1946, by Elspeth and Hans Juda to raise the profile of British textiles and fashion abroad.

After the War, a Pattern Festival Committee was set up for the Festival of Britain (1951), focusing on crystallography, a mixture of science and design.

In the 1950s, Heals developed its textile department under the auspices of Tom Worthington. He encouraged students from art schools, such as Barbara Brown, to design textiles for him.

When Bloomcraft USA produced a wonderful fabric collection by Picasso, he said, ‘Do not use my work for upholstery.” He didn’t like the idea of anyone sitting on it.

Ashley summed up his lecture with this quote by Alastair Morton, (a play on one by Virginia Wolff): ‘Nowhere is there such a range of textures and colours available as in textiles. If one is interested in colour and textures, where can one find qualities as rich as wool or silk, or as austere as linen, or as simple as cotton? Modern painters should really work in textiles... as nowhere else are the qualities they are after available in such diversification."

Names referred to by Ashley during the lecture: Phyllis Barron, George Butler, Joyce Clissold, Janet Doub/Eriksen, Thomas Heron, Bernard Leach, Claire Leighton, The Little Gallery, Ben Nicholson, Poulk Prints,  John Piper, Frank Pitt,  Alan Reynolds, Zandra Rhodes,   Muriel Rose, Sanderson Wallpapers, William Scott, Graham Sutherland, Germaine Tallents, Peggy Turnbull and Clifford Whittaker.

In response to a request after the lecture about podcasts, Ashley sent the following information to our Lecture Secretary: ‘The podcast series that I would recommend to your members is this:

https://hapticandhue.com/

 On a laptop iPhone Orr computer - you click on ‘Listen' and then 'Series 1' and then on the play icon for each episode. (This is within the image on the left-hand side)

 The Paule Vézelay exhibitions I mentioned were:

 https://www.rwa.org.uk/collections/events/products/paule-vezelay-living-lines

  The wonderful 1984 BBC documentary Women of our Century - Paule Vézelay is here:

 https://youtu.be/t71RvYl4z5c?si=nfJfA0t8lSVdawrA

Mark Ovenden’s fascinating lecture brought back memories of commuting on the Northern Line, as he unpacked the 160 years of design and architecture of the London Underground. He based the lecture on his book:’ London Underground by Design’ and he used data from the London Transport Museum.

In 1682, London measured 4 kilometres across and by 1860 was 20 kms. Railways were built to transport people ending in terminals on the edge of the city. The increasing number of commuters caused congestion.  It was decided to go underground, they dug down under the main roads, made a tunnel and filled it back in again. Private companies were set up and the Metropolitan Railway was the first to open in 1863. Small steam engines transported people around in carriages, nicknamed the ‘padded cells’.   

The engineer, Brunel, designed a tunnel to go under the River Thames and a similar technique was used, to build deeper tunnels resulting in the Central Line, which opened in 1900. Electrification of the lines began in the early 1900s.

Lighting was crucial and initially, natural light was funnelled down, followed by gas globes and then electricity. Bright, white ceramic tiles bounced the light around.

Stations were faced with Leslie Green's bright red terracotta brick. They were one storey, and money was made by selling the ‘air rights’ above, for building development. Some had domes built to hide the lift machinery.  

George Gibb and Frank Pick were tasked to encourage more people to use the underground. Pick achieved this in several ways: improved access outside peak hours, better branding with the Johnston font and the bull's eye devices (signs) which became copied around the world. In 1924, Pick commissioned Holden to design the station buildings in a new style.

In 1930, the London Passenger Transport Board was set up, amalgamating transport services in London. Pick ensured bus services were linked up to improve access.

Moquette is the wool/nylon material used for seating. It is robust and designed not to show the dirt. One renowned designer was Marion Dorn.

Harry Beck's design of the London Underground Map was printed in 1933 , aftyer some initial reluctance by his bosses. 

Misha Black was apoointed as the design consultant for the 1960's Victoria Line, contributing to the line's uniform look with each station having an individual tile motif. 

The stations for the 1990's Jubilee Line Extension were designed in a high-tech style by architects such as Norman Foster. One station recived the Stirling Prize. 

In 2012, increased investment, more accessible stations and improved reliability helped the London Underground prepare for th einflux for the London Olympics.

Finally, the Cross-Rail plan for London was sanctioned in 2007, and was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 2022. It was renamed the Elizabeth Line. 

Covers surprising attempts to create some graphic unity, even in the 1860s and 70s, the expansion of the Underground and the need to create some cohesion between the different operating companies, Leslie Green's architecture and the Arts & Crafts movement, Frank Pick, Edward Johnston's typeface, Charles Holden's architecture and the Streamline Moderne/Art Deco movement, the New Works Programme, post-war austerity/design, Victoria Line, loss of Johnston & rescue by Kono, Jubilee Line Extension/architecture, creation of TfL, recent schemes and future works including the Elizabeth Line/Northern Line extension to Battersea etc..  

Julian's comments, discussing tonality versus colour, enthralled the artists amongst us. ‘How to’ portray silver birches against snow and ‘how to’ paint footprints in the snow, first in the sunlight and again in the shadow.

Julian began the lecture by showing us work by Breughel the Elder, ‘Hunters in the Snow’ (1565) with blank white snow. He contrasted it with Monet's painting, ‘The Magpie’ (1868/9): a solitary black magpie on a gate surrounded by snow and was able to demonstrate tonality.  

Monet had a house outside Paris and painted snow, often. Utagawa Hiroshige's prints made a great impression on Monet.

Julian reminded us of the impact of Chevreul's Colour Theory in 1804 and how pigments in textiles soon became adopted into painting. By now paint was available in tubes. Renoir commented ‘‘No colour in tubes - no Impressionism’.

The photographer, Nadar, held the First Impressionists exhibition in his Paris studio, and it was a disaster and poorly attended. The critics commented that there was ‘no intellectual rigour ‘, ‘the blue shadows were ludicrous’ and the paintings were ‘unfinished’, which resulted in the group’s work being called ‘Impressionism’.

Julian showed us paintings by other impressionists: Pissarro, Sisley, Caillebotte, Sidener and Renoir. Pissarro and Sisley often stood for hours in the open air to capture the subtleties of light and colour produced by a recent snowfall. Winters in 1879-1880 and 1890-1891, were particularly harsh with a lot of snow. We were shown a sepia photograph of the frozen Seine. The snowy paintings ranged from rural with haystacks and sunsets to urban and the technique was phenomenal. ‘Impressionism was the art of the North’.

Monet’s wife died in 1880, and his painting suffered until he met Alice Hoschedé, who became his second wife. Monet visited family in Sandvik, Norway. He spent several months there painting and producing beautiful snowy landscapes with mountain tops thawing in the distance.

The dealer for this group of artists was a Parisian, Paul Durand-Ruel. He was a kindly man and supportive of the movement. He took some of the paintings to America for an exhibition in 1910. The reception was a success, Americans ‘did not laugh but bought’.

Some great American artists came to France: James MacNeil Whistler, Mary Cassatt and John Singer Sargent. They studied at the Academie Julian and formed a club called ‘The Ten’. We saw paintings of snow by amongst others, Childe Hassam, John Twachtman and Willard Metcalfe. One advantage, the Americans had, was the snow lay for months and was hard.

This was an amazing lecture rich in wonderful images, which combined paintings by both well-known and lesser-known artists. 

What a story Gavin had to tell, accompanied by paintings and clips of music about a country struggling to regain its independence from Germany and the Austro-Hungarian empire.

It is said that Princess Libuse and her husband Premysl founded Prague.  

Its ‘Golden Age’ was during the rule of Charles IV, who became king of Bohemia in 1346. The founding of the University in Prague, on 7 April 1348, was the next step, by which the monarch strengthened the Church and the City’s significance.  

The Austro-Hungarians took control of Bohemia in 1628 and insisted that only German and Latin languages be used.  Napoleon’s arrival was welcomed because of his more liberal attitudes, these were dashed with his defeat. Revolutions followed, including the battle between the emerging Protestant and the Roman Catholic religions. One Jan Hus became a thorn in the side of the Pope and was burned at the stake. After the Thirty Years War, the Hapsburgs clamped down and only Roman Catholicism was allowed.

There was a move to reclaim the Czech language and identity; fortunately, remnants could be found in the countryside. In 1830, František Palacký wrote ‘History of the Czech Nation in Bohemia and Morovia.’ Another cornerstone in literature (written in Czech) was 'Babicka', the enchanting tale of country life, by Bozena Nemcova. Publications relied on literacy, however, another tool to promote this revival was the National Theatre and the Czech Opera House. Notable composers were Smetana with his popular folk tunes and Dvorak. We saw paintings by Jakub Schikaneder (1855-1924) portraying combined ‘neo-romantic and naturalist impulses’.

After World War 1, Czechoslovakia became a new republic.

Gavin told us about another Czech hero, Alfons Mucha. He was an artist, who became renowned for his ‘Art Nouveau’ posters of Sarah Bernhardt. He moved to America to work in advertising. Eventually, he returned home and produced his legacy, a series of murals called the ‘Slav Epic’.

He brought our excellent lecture to a close by saying that Czechoslovakia was a prime example of ‘how culture can lead the way’. 

Patricia Hallett Memorial Lecture

This lecture was a great choice for our Memorial Lecture. Mark Hill gave us an inspirational lecture on the transition from 1770  “brown furniture “ through the Craft Movement and Design, G Plan, the decline in traditional  tastes to 1970’s  teak mass produced items , more suitable for smaller houses and less formal lifestyles which are now more sought after, and therefore more valuable than their Georgian predecessors ..   How design  evolved with excellent illustrations , and  explanations of the increase in incomes and availability of items suitable for the many new homes being built after the War.    We were shown examples through the 50’s 60’s and 70’s of popular choices, from the high end luxury to the mass produced everyday china and glass.

A very full hall was treated to an exceptional and thoroughly entertaining lecture from a master of his subject.

Despite the enormous political challenges that Vienna faced between 1780 and 1830 - including major wars against Napoleon, - the city thrived, culturally.  In fact, it could be argued that Vienna never had a finer moment in terms of its artistic achievements.  It was a period of outstanding writers, poets, architects and painters, but above all, it was a period of great composers such as Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert who made Vienna the musical capital of the world.  The lecture explores the history and the arts of Vienna in the late Classical and early Romantic eras.

Vienna – The Melting Pot of European Culture by Peter Medhurst

Despite the enormous political challenges that Vienna faced between 1780 and 1830 - including major wars against Napoleon, - the city thrived, culturally

What an inspirational lecture. Vienna at its peak - its music, art, history, architecture, design, and poetry. Peter opened the lecture with an excerpt of Mozart’s Symphony 39 accompanied by paintings of Vermeer, Caravaggio, and Peter Breughel the Elder from the Kunsthistoriche Museum.

He used the views of Vienna painted by Bernardo Bellotto, who accepted an invitation from Empress  Maria Theresa in 1758 to come to Vienna, to set the scene. Peter included ones of the Schönbrunn Summer Palace, The Upper and Lower Belvedere, and the iconic St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

We learned about the First Viennese school of musicians including Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, and Hayden. The latter wrote 104 symphonies. The Second Viennese school was established in the early 1900’s and included Schonberg and Weber.

The Hapsburgs arrived in 1278 and were to dominate Vienna for six hundred years. In 1498, Maximilian 1 appointed a singing master and boy singers, the origin of the renowned Vienna choir.

In 1529, Suleyman the Magnificent tried to seize Vienna, the siege lasted two weeks but he failed. The tensions simmered and in 1683 another attack by the Ottomans, resulted in a two-month siege led by Mustafa Pasha. At the Battle of Vienna, the Turks were repelled by the armies of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Holy Roman Empire.

Over time the influence of the Turks was transformed from one of war into one of romance. This manifested itself in portraits where Turkish attire was worn, including Empress Marie Theresa. Mozart introduced Turkish instruments into his works, employing cymbals, triangles, bass drums, and Maqam - a melody type employed in Mozart’s A Major Piano Sonata 301. Peter showed us the notations to illustrate his explanation.

Over time, Vienna evolved from a city with Baroque architecture to one of romanticism/classicism. This reflected the move from concerts in halls in 1810 to middle-class salons, where Schubert came to the fore. He was inspired by poets such as Franz von Bruchmann and Friedrich Schiller, with the piano as a background to these verses. He composed 600 songs.  

Mozart and Hayden’s work could be described as ‘Sophistication’ whereas Schubert’s was ‘Romantic’. At the end of the 18th century, the language used in opera was to include German not the traditional Italian – an example of this is Mozart’s ‘The Bird-catcher’s Song’ from ‘The Magic Flute’.  

Beethoven was an admirer of Napoleon and dedicated his Symphony No. 3  ‘Eroica’ to him but retracted it in disgust when Napoleon crowned himself Emperor. With Napoleon’s downfall, Klemens von Metternich convened a Congress in Vienna (1814) by Klemens von Metternich involving Austria, England, Russia, Prussia, and France. The Turks did not attend despite being invited.

We received an outstanding lecture from Peter, describing the melting pot of European culture in Vienna through excellent slides and music clips. 

The extraordinary story of the rebuilding of the Cathedral as a symbol of peace and reconciliation and its inspiring commitment to the modern. 

Three structures have existed on the site. The first was a Benedictine monastery in 700 AD, dedicated to St. Mary. In 1150, St. Michael's church was built with a rebuild in 1450. The Dissolution of the Monasteries took place in 1539. St. Michael’s church was consecrated in 1918 and Coventry became a city once more.  In November 1940, the Luftwaffe bombed Coventry and the cathedral was demolished.

In 1951, there was an open competition for a new build with 219 submissions. One condition was the ruins be included as a memorial.  Basil Spence was awarded the commission and the Foundation Stone was laid in 1956.

70 miles of scaffolding were required with John Laing as builder. The cathedral is dedicated to St. Michael, depicted in the initially controversial bronze sculpture, ‘St. Michael’s Victory over the Devil’(1958) by Jacob Epstein. It is located externally beside the Baptistery window. Sadly, Jacob Epstein died before its installation.  

One entrance to the cathedral is through the glass screen of saints and angels. The West Screen looks south over the old cathedral ruins, which can be reflected in the window on a sunny day.  John Hutton designed it. Spence and Hutton were in the same camouflage unit during the war.  Hutton’s labour of love took 10 years to hand engrave the sixty-six eight-foot-tall figures. Once completed, Basil asked John to make the figures less opaque. (Basil Spence's ashes are buried at the base of the screen).

Spence was concerned about the acoustics because of all the glass. He solved this by having a Tapestry on the north wall, the size of a tennis court, designed by Graham Sutherland. Sutherland was a deeply religious man and a war artist. The tapestry, ‘Christ in Glory in the Tetramorph’ depicts a seated Christ surrounded by four evangelists. A small man figure is between his feet, and a crucifixion scene is below. Where to get a tapestry of such a size woven in one piece? ‘Pinton Frères’ in Creuse, France was chosen.  It took 12 years. The loom was 500 years old.  

John Piper designed the Baptistry stained glass bow window. He worked with Patrick Reyntiens, a stained-glass practitioner. Piper struggled to find an idea for the design until Reyntiens told him about Bernini. This gave him the idea of an abstract window with a sunburst in its centre a metaphor for the 1940 explosion. There are 198 lights. Reyntiens used green glass in the underplating to unify the design. He discovered a source for green glass, an overorder of traffic light glass, which he bought at a cut-down price.

Alexandra spoke about the font in front of the Baptistery window, which was carved by Ralph Beyer (1921-2008) from a slab of stone from Bethlehem. He carved ‘The Tablets of the Word’ and the greeting set into the floor plus the Foundation Stone. His mother was killed in Auschwitz.

A young Elisabeth Frink designed the Eagle lectern.

Coventry Cathedral is a tribute to post-war British design. 

This lecture was substituted for the published one in the Lecture programme on Cezanne. It provides a taster for TASNF’s visit to Norfolk, in September.

Timothy opened the lecture with a slide of  Winsor and Newton Paints, who have a Cotman selection. Although not a well-known watercolourist, his name lives on.

John Sell Cotman established himself in Norfolk. He was not well known during his lifetime but came to prominence in the 1920s. His techniques were used in books on learning how to paint with watercolours.

John painted marine landscapes, portrayed architecture and was an etcher of over 400 prints but this lecture focused only on his landscapes.

John was born in Norwich (1782 – 1842) and went to the local grammar school where his artistic ability was noted. He moved up to London in 1790s, to paint and was influenced by artists such as Girtin and Turner.

Girtin died in 1802 and Cotman was keen to fill the resulting void. In the painting below he used the light water as a contrast to the dark rock emulating Girtin’s technique. He joined their sketching club and travelled to Wales and Surrey. His drawing expeditions took him to Yorkshire where he stayed with Cholmeleys between 1803-5.

He exhibited some of his Welsh paintings at the Royal Academy, from 1801 onwards. Watercolours were not hung there to full advantage and the Royal Society of Painters in Watercolour was formed. Their first exhibition was held in 1805. Cotman submitted work but it was not included, one reason given was that the work was ‘unfinished’. Interestingly,  many paintings displayed that year, were familiar Welsh landscapes, using light and shade.

Cotman ‘threw in the towel ‘ and returned to Norwich after five years in London. He joined the Norwich Society of Artists. In 1806, he exhibited 200 watercolours in Norwich, to generate pupils. He would teach them how to paint out of doors. The Romanticism movement was becoming established, promoting a return to nature, and rebelling against growing industrialisation. He became President of the Society in 1811.

He achieved local notoriety and married a local farmer’s daughter. In 1812, he accepted an offer by local wealthy banker Dawson Turner, in Great Yarmouth, to become his artist in residence; a drawing master for his six children. During this time, he developed his finest marine pieces. Dawson’s interests moved from botany to antiquities in 1820, and the two men travelled to Normandy and produced a book ‘Architectural Antiquities of Normandy’ (1822), Cotman provided the etchings.

Cotman returned to watercolours on a walking tour in 1820. His work became more colourful. He returned to Norwich, four years later, with his family including six children. He bought a large house opposite the cathedral. He enjoyed ‘cutting a dash’ but money was a constant concern. He showed his work from 1823 to 1825 at the Norwich Society of Artists exhibitions.  In 1835, much to his delight, he was invited to be an Associate of the Royal Society of Painters in Watercolours and exhibited there until 1839.

Money continued to be a worry and he was invited to teach at Kings College School (1834) and the family moved to London. Cotman was constantly experimenting on his compositional techniques, for example, he introduced rice paste to his paints, to increase texture.

He battled with depression in his later years. In 1841, Cotman died, having done a last tour of Norfolk visiting his favourite haunts.

In 1922, his works were exhibited at the National Gallery. The renowned Railway Posters plagiarised his work or as they said at the time were ‘paying homage’. John Piper produced an article about his drawings, he was a great fan.

If you wish to investigate his watercolour landscapes further, more examples of his work can be found at the Norwich and British Museums.

Benedict began his fascinating talk by telling us how these comedies were  looked down upon by the critics of the time- such as Francois Duffort  – preferring the dark post war films of Italy and France and yet they were seriously political. Bevis Hillier described them as whimsical, archaic cosy and charming. They were considered trivial, apolitical and even damaging.

Ealing studios were founded in 1902 and were the longest serving film studios.

In 1938 Michael Bolton took over and Ealing Comedies began to be mildly anarchic.

Before 1945 the films were based around stars such as George Formby.

Then began the era of Britain in Ruins. The comedies engaged with the destruction of the British landscape but showing a very British response to disaster- to laugh !

They began a war on 5 giant evils – Want/Disease/ Ignorance /Squalor and Idleness.

The Cinema was in ruins . The Italian response was to produce tragedies and searing melodramas which compared so starkly with  British comedies of this time showing children enjoying playing in the rubble. The approach to play is what inspired these comedies. opportunities are revealed.  The world had changed.  Ruins were allowing intellectual play , woman had been out to work, men had developed comradeship, children had become much more independent and workers from the Caribbean were arriving.

Ealing did produce serious films such as ” It Always Rains on Sundays and “Blue Lamp’

A Plan for Britain emerged , based on the ideal that people need to be managed  ( Benedict likened this to the Ikea effect – in that the way we are directed around the store and obliged to focus on things those in charge want us to focus on ) Working and playing freely through the ruins was dangerous but leads to creative ideas whereas with plans and organisation are very limiting.

Benedict then focussed on two films – Passport to Plimlico which becomes about what it means to be British and contains explosions of bombs/unregulated behaviour/heat/the course of history and porous national identity. The porous resolution combats rationing and waste.

Ealing is anti-individualist but idiosyncrasy. It is about eccentric communities built on ideas of improvisation, collaboration, transgression and joy. It is a celebration of porous communities. It depicts a brand of democracy that laughs at officialdom.

Benedict ending this enthralling and amusing lecture with an excerpt from The Lavender Hill Mob where laughter equals a policy of defiance. It is subversive, transgressive, naughty, mischievous and very very funny.

Our eyes had been opened by Benedict’s extremely entertaining yet insightful lecture – not  unlike the films from the post war Ealing studios.