For centuries, numerous artists in the West were inspired by the idea of Africa. A kind of exoticism took hold of the imaginations of artists like Rubens, Delacroix and Picasso, or designers such as Bauhaus luminaries Marcel Breuer and Gunta Stölzl. The rise of contemporary art and its international circulation has been through biennials and art fairs, African artists themselves have hit the headlines with names including El Anatsui and Julie Mehretu becoming global contemporary art stars.

British sculpture enjoyed a renaissance in the 20th century, with the likes of Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Anthony Caro and Elizabeth Frink leading the way. Among the new generation of British-based sculptors were Rachel Whiteread, Antony Gormley, Maggi Hambling, Anish Kapoor, Richard Long and David Nash.  Each in their own way is innovative, inspirational and deeply human.

The art thief, the art forger and the crooked art dealer are three of the fascinating bad players in the art market. In a world where art works sell for astronomical sums, those who choose to profit by illegal means spike our curiosity, we will look at thieves, forgers and dealers, and at how and why they made their choices. Was it always about money? Or something else? We focus on one particular art thief, his actions, motives and denouement.

In today’s digital world of emails and tweeting, the art of writing has largely been left behind. Adding personality and individuality to communication, the tools of writing have a fascinating history dating back to prehistory and peaking in the golden age of the fountain pen in the 20th century. As well as a full history of development, major makers, keys to identification, dating and value are examined.

Until late in her short life, Jane Austen’s time was spent “no more regarded in society than a poker or fire-screen.” She was sustained by a crazy sense of fun; by a love of country life, of writing and reading; and by her sister Cassandra. “If Cassandra were going to have her head cut off, Jane would insist on having hers cut off too!” (Mrs Austen).

This lecture explores the various ways in which potters, over the centuries, have looked to the natural world for their inspiration – from the famous Tang horses of the seventh century to the botanical plates produced at Derby in the early nineteenth. It will include dishes swarming with realistic snakes and lizards, the great animal and bird figures made for Augustus the Strong of Saxony, tureens in the form of rabbits and chickens and the incredibly life-like bunches of porcelain flowers carried by the ladies at the court of Louis XV of France. 

The indigenous population of Australia occupied the land for over 60,000 years in relative isolation. Discover their ancient traditions and how they’ve adapted to modern times since the arrival of Captain Cook. From the dot art of Papunya Tula to the landscapes of Albert Namatjira the artworks of Aboriginal people are rich with colour and spiritual meaning.

While researching her book The Writer Abroad, Lucinda spent months ensconced among the shelves of the British Library seeking out historic travel writing. From the grand tour to the global village, novelists and poets have made particularly observant travellers. Many writers have been prone to wanderlust, eager to explore the world and draw inspiration from their travels. They recorded their notes in letters, journals, essays and books. In some cases, these became celebrated examples of travel writing, but there are many more accounts which remain overlooked.

During the 1880s the city of Glasgow emerged as a major cultural centre rivalling the nation’s capital, Edinburgh. New money and a determination to support modern art provided great opportunities for a generation of up-and-coming artists.  Now known as the Glasgow Boys, this group included James Guthrie, Atkinson Hornel, George Henry, and the Irish Glasgow Boy, John Lavery. Influenced by Japan, and the French Impressionists and Naturalists, they brought a breath of fresh air to Glasgow.  They adopted en plein air painting and escaped to the countryside to paint scenes of rural life.

Carpets from the Islamic world are a common feature in many European paintings. This lecture investigates what these paintings can tell us about how carpets were used and regarded in Europe. They also offer insights into trade routes of the time as we witness carpets coming in from different regions of the East and reaching more distant parts of Europe. This is a story of taste, status and international trade from the 14th to the 17th century.