THE ATTINGHAM TRUST for the study of HISTORIC houses and collections ISSUE 16 ANNUAL REVIEW 2018 Chairman’s Foreword John Lewis he four Attingham courses run this year were or even had the time to pay attention to the many Tin great demand, judging from the strength problems of our country house owners, whether they and number of applications received, which is all be individuals or the National Trust. Furthermore, it thanks to the dedication of the course directors and makes it very difficult to engage with Government on administrators. Their reports form the major part of matters that are of importance to these buildings and this Review together with the list of donors without their collections. I refer, of course, not only to the lack whom we would be unable to function so effectively. of support from the National Museums but also to the Huge thanks go to them and to all the Attingham team, unfair competition from them which public subsidy particularly to Kate Morgan who stepped down this allows by way of free entry. Again, the imposition of VAT August after 22 years of loyal service as the Trust’s on repair work to historic buildings adds an additional Treasurer. Her dedication has been exemplary. I wish burden to their strained budgets. I could commend the department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, the organ of government that oversees Although the above does not directly impact on our heritage, with the same degree of approbation. Attingham and its studies, it is of concern to us It is with some exasperation that one views the because these houses and their collections make appointment of yet another Secretary of State – such a unique contribution to our history, culture and the fourth since 2016 – to head up this important tourism. The failure of central Government makes the department. However able the appointee, he or she work of The Attingham Trust, and the partnerships it has moved on before they have remotely understood forms, evermore vital to the survival of our heritage. American Friends of Attingham Sheila ffolliott • AFA President he American Friends of Attingham, in addition group visited Staten Island, which included tours Tto supporting the Attingham courses and raising of 19th- and 20th-century Snug Harbor, and the funds, presents its own range of activities in the U.S. c.1680 Conference House on the site for the 1776 2018 started with our traditional Midwinter Reunion, failed peace conference to end the American War of held at the time of the January Winter Antiques Show Independence, ahem. Also in June, Barbara Boehm, in New York. We were fortunate to hold it in one of the (SS’17) led an excellent tour of the exhibition, Heavenly splendid late 19th-century rooms of the show’s venue, Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination, at the the 7th Regiment Armory, on “Museum Night.” As a Cloisters that she helped to curate. result, we had a large attendance, some of whom joined in singing spoof songs whose lyrics were meaningful Terence Dooley from Maynooth University delivered for those attending the Summer School when based at an engaging talk: Alien or Native: The Irish Country Attingham Park. House for our Annual Fall Lecture this year and our Annual Meeting in October included a tour of the art in Our annual Study Trip featured a May visit to the the stations of the 2nd Avenue subway led by Cheryl Wilmington, Delaware area, arranged by Tom Hageman. Another Midwinter Reunion follows in January, Savage (SS‘80 ). Annabel Westman was able to join with more events to come in spring including the Study us, as she was engaged to speak at a Winterthur Trip to Thomasville, Georgia, organized by Whitney conference, and we all had a good time seeing White (SS’16). Please refer to the AFA website for more some special buildings and collections. In June a information. As always, we would love you to join us! 1 COMMENTARY Judith Goodison he Attingham Study spread its wings on the Continent. and Italian, but realising the horror TProgramme, (formerly Special She felt it was particularly of the situation we both appeared Week and Study Week), was set up appropriate to visit countries in as two naïve, slightly clueless in the early 1980s by Attingham’s which the art and architecture had English-speaking women wringing founder, Helen Lowenthal, who had a distinct influence on the our hands. Whereupon the French never missed a trick. Attingham development of the country house gendarmes kindly decided to alumni used to be able to attend in Britain, an approach still followed release the vehicle, and we happily the last week of the Summer today. For the first course abroad drove off to fulfil our complicated School, but with numbers becoming (1991), Helena and I set off for Paris itinerary. In those days, of course, unwieldy, she devised another to plan visits in the city and its we had no mobile telephones so residential course – one that unlike surroundings. In preparation for any there was no way to alert our hosts the Summer School could be programme, the reconnaissance to problems or delays. attended more than once. is always crucial not least for the It became a firm fixture, held unexpected problems it may throw Over the years, first with Helena every June or September, and up. One morning in Paris, we left and then with Caroline Rimell, has proved invaluable in allowing our hotel early, full of energy and I planned Study Programmes abroad members – several of whom expectation for the day ahead that every other year that included have since became generous was packed with carefully planned The Netherlands, the Veneto and benefactors – to keep in touch with appointments to meet those we Sweden. Since then The Study their first Attingham experience. hoped would be our future hosts Programme has visited many other Not that the Study Programme is in their houses outside the city. European countries, including a now seen as follow-up course to We found our little hired car in visit to the States (2012) during either the Summer School or Royal the claws of a pick-up truck in the the 50th anniversary year of the Collection Studies. When Helena process of being removed. Helena founding of the American Friends Hayward took over as director in had spent some time in Europe of Attingham. The Americans have 1986, she created an independent and was fluent in French, German always been very supportive of programme that this course which reflected the high attracts applications standards of the from all over the Summer School. world. It was a Being shorter privilege to have in length (8-9 been involved and days) with fewer I have been left participants (30), with many fond its original aim was memories of the to study in-depth strong camaraderie, the historic house exchange of ideas and its collections and the stimulation in a specific area of professionals that of Britain. Over is so characteristic the years, with a of all Attingham different itinerary programmes. planned each year, the courses Judith Goodison have been held all was the Director of over the country, the Attingham Study including Scotland, Programme from Wales, Cornwall and 1989-2003, first with Devon, East Anglia, Helena Hayward the Midlands, and and then with Northumberland. Caroline Rimell. She was an Attingham Helena was also trustee from 2004- determined that The Study Programme In Wales, 1995. (Left to right) Judith Goodison, Helena 2014, and is now a Attingham should Hayward, Caroline Rimell patron. 2 Attingham Trust Annual Review 2018 • Number 16 FRENCH EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY STUDIES 25 – 29 June 2018 • Dr Helen Jacobsen, Director t a time when it is sometimes The course involved generous with their Afelt that interest in and four Wallace Collection time and knowledge. knowledge of French eighteenth- curators and four Unusually, this year the century art and decorative art is external guest course was held in June diminishing, it is encouraging to lecturers: Annabel during the Masterpiece realize that with the completion of Westman, Carolyn Fair and we are grateful the Attingham/Wallace fifth French Sargentson, Dame to the organisers for Eighteenth-Century Studies course Rosalind Savill and, inviting the Attingham we have now had 75 curators, for the first time, group to the preview dealers, conservators, academics Robert Wenley. We evening. and auction-house specialists are fortunate that through the Wallace Collection each year we are able The course was to study the furniture, porcelain, to take the group to The Avignon Clock, 1771. administered by bronzes, paintings, gold boxes, Waddesdon Manor, Wallace Collection (F258) Rita Grudzień, who sculpture and clocks. This year the where once again we provided impeccable group came from the US, Sweden, were given privileged access to and welcome support for all of us, Canada, Hong Kong and Britain. many great works of art – including for which we were very grateful. It was a vibrant and enthusiastic drawings and textiles which cannot group and the discussions were be studied at the Wallace Collection French Eighteenth-Century Studies stimulating and lively. - by curators who were extremely will run again in 2020. COURSE Members • KELSEY BROSNAN • KIRSTY HASSARD • KARINE TSOUMIS Doris Zemurray Stone Curatorial Fellow for Assistant Curator, Victoria and Albert Curator, Gardiner Museum, Toronto, European Art, New Orleans Museum of Art, Museum, London, UK Canada LA, USA • LARS ROBERT LJUNGSTRÖM • RORY TYLER • NICOLA COURTRIGHT Head Curator, The Royal Collections, Educator, The Frick Collection, NY, USA Professor of the History of Art Department, Stockholm, Sweden • MIN-ZHENG VENEAU Amherst College, MA, USA • CLAIRE MAGILL Director, MV Art Advisory, Hong Kong • JANE EADE Regional Conservator, National Trust, • JEFFREY WEAVER Curator, The National Trust, London, UK Saintfield, Ireland Associate Curator, Sculpture and • DIANE EHRENPREIS • CALEB MIKENAS Decorative Arts, J.