Great Britain | ArtHistorical Events

top of page

Library of On Demand Talks
related to

Great Britain

A magnificent legacy: the culture of collecting Islamic art in Victorian London
In this talk we explore the cultural ecosystem of Victorian London and the Burlington Fine Arts Club, and how these lead to the development of the fields of Islamic and Persian art, looking in particular at the collection in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London.
More Information

Contemporary Sculpture
This lecture reveals how contemporary artists have forged new territories. Please join Sophie as she explains two important artist: RACHEL WHITEREAD- revealing the negative space and CORNELIA PARKER- connecting objects with the fragility of the human condition. more info below
More Information

Inside Kelmscott Manor, William Morris's 'heaven on earth'
The doors of Kelmscott Manor in Oxfordshire, the beloved country home of William Morris, have finally reopened its doors to the public on 1/4/23. The perfect trip for a Bank Holiday weekend, join Mariska as she introduces some of the characters that made Kelmscott Manor.
More Information

Sculpture: Hard stone & Soft power: the Metamorphosis of Gian Lorenzo Bernini
More Information

Hockney's Love of Landscape
More Information

Gloriana: Elizabeth I and the Art of Queenship
This lecture (timed close to her birthday) looks at the queen's use of art, as a powerful device for propaganda, while the cult of Gloriana revered her as a goddess. A large part of Elizabeth's legacy is her captivating image!
More Information

Surrealist Women: not muse, not object
Women artists have often been misunderstood as secondary members of the surrealist movement. Re-examining surrealism shows us that women artists were an integral part of the movement. This talk introduces the work of these women. more info below
More Information

Hogarth and Europe
Cindy Polemis, explores the artistic exchanges of the 18th century, and investigates how Hogarth and artists across Europe captured the new social, philosophical and economic ideas in unforgettable visual social commentaries which still resonate today. More information below.
More Information

Christmas and the Royals
The German customs of the Victorian royal family became the basis of the English Christmas we know today. This lecture explores Christmas at court from the middle ages to the present day and how the royals have influenced our own celebrations.
More Information

The Inventors of Christmas
Everyone knows the ingredients of a traditional Christmas, but where did they start? This lecture looks at the characters and personalities of the people who began those traditions or introduced them to this country. more info below
More Information

Northern High Renaissance and Mannerism
North of the Alpes was very much affected by the Protestant Reformation. As Protestantism spread, artists turned away from overtly religious subjects and chose more secular imagery. Genre paintings and Landscape art make their appearance, and the court of Henry VIII introduces new displays of power!
More Information

The New English Art Club
Founded in 1885 as an alternative to the RA, the club encouraged techniques & subjects of French Impressionists. Members incl P.W.Steer & W.Sickert steered art away from RA conventions, whilst Roger Fry promoted post-Impressionism in his own London exhibitions in turn influencing Bloomsbury painters
More Information

Porcelain Mania
Marco Polo bought the 1st tiny example of porcelain to Europe in the 13th century. This tiny exquisite object, so unlike European ceramics precipitated the pursuit of European-made porcelain which would pre-occupy powerful men, potters & scientists for centuries. more info below
More Information

Masters of Landscape Painting: Constable
Idealised and poetic, yet real and down to earth. Captivating the British countryside, with no interest to travel outside the UK, Constable build on some of the great masters in landscape art that came before him, while simultaneously inspiring the next generation.
More Information

The Greatest Female Patrons in History: Queen Victoria
Queen Victoria was a keen patron and collector of contemporary art. in this talk we will look at how she chose artists (sometimes controversially) to present herself as monarch, mother, wife and widow.
More Information

Intro to the Rococo
Often grouped with the Baroque, this unique Art Historical period which originates at the French court of Versailles brings a light hearted, fun and feminine twist to the arts, unifying the decorative and fine arts to new levels of sophistication which develops Art History in exiting new avenues.
More Information

Victorians and the Nude
The Victorian Gaze: sexuality, morality and art is the topic of this new online talk by Maria. She'll be looking the difference between the naked and the nude and how photography changed it all! more information below
More Information

Master Pieces: Hamilton- Just what is it that makes today's homes so different, so appealing?
As part of the Master Pieces series I will be discussing 'Just what is it that makes today's homes so different, so appealing?' an iconic Pop Art collage by the English artist Richard Hamilton in this 1 hour lecture.
More Information

bottom of page