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FRIENDS OF THE ASHMOLEAN SUMMER/AUTUMN 2018 MEMBERS’ LECTURES AT THE ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM All lectures will be presented in the Ashmolean Lecture Theatre, with a capacity of 100 on each occasion. HOW TO BOOK Lecture tickets can be booked online, over the phone, by post and in-person from the Museum. Online: www.ashmolean.org/members-events Phone: 01865 278 112 - our ticketing line By Post: please return the booking form with cheques In Person: from the Museum Ticket Desk or main Museum Shop We do not charge a booking fee regardless of which booking method you choose. 1. and Power in 14th century Siena Tue 14 August 4.15pm | £20 Drinks served after the lecture In the 14th century the beautiful Tuscan city of Siena was the heart of a rich and powerful city-state whose rulers believed in the power of art and architecture to express the wealth and status of their community. This exciting lecture by Diana Matthews will seek first to unravel the hidden messages of the architecture of the Palazzo Pubblico, the seat of government in Siena, and then to explore the meaning of the art programme in the great Council Chamber and in the Sala dei Nove, the inner sanctum of ‘the Nine’, with its fascinating frescoes. What was the origin of these ideas, and for whom were they intended? Organiser: Sue Hine

2. Fabulous Cathay - how it altered the dining tables of Europe Tue 11 September 3.30pm | £18 Hot drinks and cake served from 3pm and lecture starts at 3.30pm Dinah Reynolds is a renowned Gallery Lecturer in the Ashmolean Museum specialising in ceramics and she has worked in the Department of Western Art for over 40 years as a Voluntary Assistant. We shall hear how the arrival of porcelain from China and Japan (and then from within Europe) was used to create amazing displays on banqueting tables in the 17th and 18th centuries. Gardens, temples and even rivers appeared as table centrepieces in the grand houses of Europe. This illustrated talk will show some of the dramatic ‘tablescapes’ that emerged during this period. Organiser: Rosemary Wharton

3. Chinese Ceramics Fri 12 October 3.30pm | £18 Hot drinks and cake served from 3pm and lecture starts at 3.30pm Professor Shelagh Vainker, Curator of Chinese Art at the Ashmolean Museum and Fellow of St Hugh’s College, , will give a lecture based on her extensive research on Chinese Ceramics. Chinese ceramics have always been highly regarded and avidly collected, and the Ashmolean collection mainly comprises earthenware, high-fired ware and porcelain from China’s most famous kilns. It also includes the most important collection of greenware celadons outside China. Many of the 17th and 18th century porcelains the Museum now houses were acquired during the 19th century, although a few were presented by himself in 1683. Organiser: Sue Peach

4. From Giacometti to El-Salahi: Curating Modern Art Wed 24 October 4.30pm | £20 Drinks served after the lecture Dr Lena Fritsch, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Ashmolean Museum, will present the work of Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti (1901–66) and Oxford-based Sudanese artist Ibrahim El-Salahi (b.1930), both major figures of modern art. Giacometti was one of the great painter-sculptors of the 20th century. El-Salahi is a pioneer of African and Arab Modernism, and one of the most influential figures in Sudanese art today. The talk will focus on two exhibitions: the large-scale recent retrospective Giacometti at Tate Modern in 2017, and Ibrahim El-Salahi: A Sudanese Artist in Oxford at the Ashmolean at present. The latter casts fresh light on El-Salahi’s works by setting them in dialogue with select ancient Sudanese objects from the Ashmolean’s collection. Dr Fritsch will provide a ‘behind the scenes view’, talking about the joys as well as challenges of curating these exhibitions. Organiser: Tom Price

5. Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Aesthetic Vision Thu 8 November 3.30pm | £18 Hot drinks and cake served from 3pm and lecture starts at 3.30pm Marking the 150th anniversary of Mackintosh’s birth, this illustrated talk by Dr Antony Buxton will explore the nature of Mackintosh’s work and legacy in the wider context of the decorative of the late 19th and early 20th century. The purity of line, form and colour in the designs of Charles Rennie Mackintosh can seem to stand as the work of timeless genius. Were his designs a unique vision or the result of collaboration and part of a wider response to the impoverishment of the arts by industrialisation, social convention and commercialisation? Dr Buxton is Lecturer on design and art history, material and domestic culture at Oxford University’s Department for Continuing Education. Organiser: Sue Hine

6. Spellbound: Magical thinking Past and Present Wed 21 November 4pm | £20 Drinks served after the lecture, followed by a private view of the exhibition The Ashmolean’s next major exhibition Spellbound (commencing August) explores the ways in which our ancestors engaged with the supernatural, and what this tells us about their inner lives. It traces the origins and evolution of magic through objects and text across three historical eras: the medieval cosmos, the early modern community and the modern home. Highlights include The Somerset Witch ladder, mystical representations of angels and demons, and a modern recreation of a ‘spiritual midden’: a secular folk ritual in which large groups of personal artefacts were hidden in specific spaces in homes. Curators Professor Marina Wallace and Dr Sophie Page (UCL) will present this lecture. This cross- university initiative is in consultation with Dr Dan Hicks (), and Dr Xa Sturgis. Organiser: Ros Nicholas MEMBERS’ TRIPS AND VISITS To book a place for these trips and visits, please return the accompanying booking form by post. Any queries or questions regarding these events should be directed to the Activities Team on [email protected] or 01865 278 172.

7. , near Banbury Tue 21 August | £45 Depart from Taylorian 12.30pm, Water Eaton P&R 12.45pm | Return from Broughton Castle 5pm Broughton Castle is a stunning, fortified moated manor house in a glorious parkland setting. It has remained the private home of the Fiennes family since 1477. Our private guided tour will include the Great Hall, which incorporates the original hall built in 1306 and the Council Chamber used by William Fiennes and the Parliamentarians to plot against King Charles I. More recently, Broughton has featured in many films, notably Shakespeare in Love. The gardens have been nurtured back from dereliction by the present descendants, the 21st Lord and Lady Saye and Sele, and will be a blaze of colour. We may be lucky to hear from them directly. We finish with an extravagant afternoon tea in the castle’s Tearoom. Organiser: Rosemary Wharton. Tickets available: 51. Access: There is a 5 - 10 minute walk to/from the car park and toilets. There are a number of stairs on the tour, but there is the option to remain downstairs where there is seating.

8. St. Helen’s Church, Abingdon: The Painted Medieval Ceiling Thu 30 August | £17 Meet at destination at 10.50am. By bus: from Oxford take bus X3 or X13 from St. Aldate’s bus stop H1 (opposite the Post Office), alight in the centre of Abingdon at bus stop A7 and walk immediately left down West St. Helen’s Street to the Church. By car: there is a municipal car park near the Church but it is often very busy. Tour concludes at 1pm. We will be guided around the interior of this beautiful church, learn about its long history with various re-orderings, its splendid candelabra, Victorian Chancel and numerous stained glass windows. We will visit the Lady Chapel where we will have a talk on the Medieval Painted Ceiling of 52 panels painted in 1391, which has survived for over 600 years. The subject of the panels is based on St. Matthew’s Gospel 1:1-16, Kings of the House of David, interspersed with Prophets. Tea, coffee, cake and biscuits will be served during a break. Binoculars (not supplied) would be useful for looking at the Painted Ceiling. After the tour there are many cafés, restaurants and pubs nearby if lunch is required. Organiser: Sue Peach. Tickets available: 30. Access:The Church is an ancient building, and there may be some uneven flooring. 9. Chartwell, Kent Thu 6 September | NT Members £31, non NT Members £44 Depart from Redbridge P&R 7.45am, Taylorian 7.55am, Sandhills bus stop 8.15am | Return from Chartwell 4pm Chartwell was the principal residence of Winston Churchill from 1924 until his death in 1964. The house was built to make the most of its valley setting with views of the Weald of Kent. The interiors remain much as they were when Churchill lived there, including decorations in pale colours with floral chintz curtains made by Lady Churchill. Terraced gardens laid out by the Churchills overlook a lake. Refreshments will be served on arrival. Lunch (not included) will be available in the Landemare Café. There will be time to enjoy the garden after lunch. Organiser: Ros Nicholas. Tickets available: 55. Access: Access to the House is via a sloping path and 24 shallow steps. The car park is 250 metres from the House. Chartwell can be difficult to navigate for those with access requirements.

10. Walking around Spitalfields, London Wed 19 September | £38 Depart from Redbridge P&R 8am, Taylorian 8.15am, Sandhills bus stop 8.30am | Return from Spitalfields 3.30pm After morning coffee on arrival at Hawksmoor’s Christ Church, Spitalfields, enjoy a walking tour around the atmospheric Spitalfields streets accompanied by a guide from the Huguenot Society. There will be free time to enjoy a leisurely City lunch (not included), a wander around the revitalised Spitalfields Market, or perhaps visit a contemporary art exhibition at the nearby Whitechapel Gallery. Organiser: Jane Young. Tickets available: 51. Access: There will be approximately 90 minutes walking on flat ground.

11. Kew Gardens, London Wed 26 September | £48 Depart from Taylorian 8.45am, Water Eaton P&R 9am, Sandhills bus stop 9.15am | Return from Kew 3.30pm Come and see the wonderful gardens at Kew. There is the amazing collection of plants, shrubs and trees, many housed in iconic conservatories. Amongst many alternatives, you can take a lift to the walkway through the trees. Visiting Kew is a lovely way to spend a day. After coffee, tea and biscuits on arrival, there will be a 90 minute guided tour showing some of the highlights of the collections. Lunch is not included, but there are various cafés and restaurants around the Gardens. Organiser: Anthony Wagg. Tickets available: 55. Access: The Gardens are largely flat, with tarmac paths in most places. Most buildings have level or ramped access.

12. Christ Church Picture Gallery & Upper Library, Oxford Fri 2 November | £28 Meeting point: Christ Church entrance on St Aldates at 2.15pm | Tour concludes 4.45pm The Picture Gallery is one of the best private art collections in the country, with paintings by major European artists including Veronese, Tintoretto, van Dyck and Hals, and drawings by Leonardo, , and Dürer. The Upper Library houses a magnificent collection of books and manuscripts. The visit will include a special tour of the Gallery’s permanent displays and temporary exhibition, led by the Curator or expert guides, and of the Upper Library (not normally open to the public) with the Librarian & Keeper of Special Collections. The afternoon will conclude with a delicious King’s Tea on the High Table in the Great Hall. This visit is a repeat of the March 2018 tour; if you missed out then do apply again. Organiser: Sue Hine. Tickets available: 28. Access: Some flights of stone steps with no lifts available.

13. Wallace Collection, London Tue 20 November | £40 Depart from Redbridge P&R 8.30am, Taylorian 8.45am, Sandhills bus stop 9.05am | Return from London 3pm Visiting this delightful Collection with its eclectic collection of works of art is a perfect way to spend a November day. The Collection has also just spent £1.2m on a new exhibition space, and during this bicentenary year it is exploring the diverse and idiosyncratic works that Sir Richard Wallace collected. Come and see the magnificent paintings (Rembrandt, Franz Hals, Murillo, Fragonard amongst many others), , porcelain, armour and much more. Refreshments are served on arrival, which will be followed by a guided tour. Lunch is not included, but there is a restaurant in the Museum, and a number of pubs and restaurants nearby. Organiser: Anthony Wagg. Tickets available: 55 Access: All public areas of the Museum are fully accessible. FREE MEMBERS’ EVENTS AT THE ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM There is no need to book for either of the evening viewing or preview. Simply present your membership card at the exhibition entrance. Each Member is entitled to bring one guest free of charge (this does not apply to normal exhibition viewings). Tickets are available to purchase at the exhibition shop for additional guests.

AMERICA’S COOL MODERNISM: O’KEEFFE TO HOPPER Fri 23 March – Sun 22 July “Fascinating” – The Guardian “There are pictures in this show you will remember forever” – Will Gompertz, BBC This is the first exhibition to explore the ‘cool’ in American art in the early 20th century, from early experiments in abstraction by artists like Georgia O’Keeffe, Arthur Dove and Paul Strand to the strict, clean precisionist paintings of Charles Sheeler and Charles Demuth. See incredible loans from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and the Terra Foundation for American Art, Chicago, including 35 paintings that have never been seen in the UK before. In the Jazz Age of the ‘roaring’ 20s, and the ensuing Great Depression of the 30s, many American artists expressed their uncertainty about the rapid modernisation and urbanisation of their country by producing work that had a cool, controlled detachment and a smooth, precise finish. This exhibition brings together some of the greatest works ever made by American artists – iconic pieces which reveal this fascinating aspect of American inter-war art.

MEMBERS-ONLY EVENING VIEWING AND POP-UP MEMBERS’ ROOM Mon 25 June, 6 – 8pm Enter from St Giles Entrance Bring along a guest for free to visit this illuminating exhibition after hours, and make use of the pop-up Members’ Room at the Rooftop Restaurant. Have a drink beforehand, or stay a little longer and enjoy a meal. As part of Members’ Week, you can enjoy a complimentary glass of Prosecco or one of our specially concocted Ashmolean gin cocktails when dining in. Please telephone 01865 553 823 to book a table, stating that you are a Member.

SPELLBOUND: THINKING MAGICALLY, PAST AND PRESENT Fri 31 August 2018 - Sun 6 January 2019 Spellbound explores the ways in which our ancestors engaged with the supernatural, and what this tells us about their inner lives. This major exhibition will trace the origins and evolution of magic through objects and text across three historical eras: the medieval cosmos, the early modern community and the modern home. Objects and text illuminate the nature of passions, feelings and emotions in history, showing how fearful, hopeful and wrathful people used and responded to magic. Exhibition highlights include The Somerset Witch ladder, mystical representations of angels and demons, and a modern recreation of a ‘spiritual midden’: a secular folk ritual in which large groups of personal artefacts were hidden in specific spaces in homes. This is a cross-university initiative, curated by Marina Wallace and Dr Sophie Page (UCL) in consultation with Dr Dan Hicks (Pitt Rivers Museum) and Dr .

MEMBERS-ONLY EXHIBITION PREVIEW Wed 29 August, 10am – 5pm Bring along a guest for free to visit our new exhibition at this excitingi preview, ahead of the public opening on Fri 31 August.