E-News Bulletin April 2026

We regret to announce the death of Liz Newlands, who was a loyal and active member of the Society for over thirty years. She joined the editorial panel for the London Art History Society Review (then the ULEMHAS Review) in 1999, became its editor from 2011 to 2013, and remained a highly valued member of the panel until 2022, when she had to resign due to ill health. During her time with Society she organised many study events, attended lectures and courses,  and went on study tours abroad. Many members will remember her kindness and companionship, as well as her fine sense of humour and, of course, her keen interest in all aspects of the arts. We will miss her very much.

We also regret to announce the death of Malcolm Armstrong.  He  studied for the Diploma in the History of Art at Birkbeck in the 1980s with Maria Shirley as tutor then joined ULEMHAS soon after its inception and served on the committee  between 1996 and 2018, occupying the roles of Honorary Treasurer and Bookings Administrator.  He was a regular attender of events including study tours abroad until prevented by ill health in the last few years.

SOCIETY EVENTS

Our next members’ lecture is Exemplars of 20th century British Art and Design on the Tube – From Bawden to Buren, from Epstein to Paolozzi on Wednesday April 8th at 18:00. This is an online Zoom event. This is a free event for members but booking is required.

The following members’ lecture is Mars and the Muses: The Renaissance Art of Armour on Wednesday 10th June at 18:00. We will also have an opportunity to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Society at the drinks reception following the lecture. This will end an hour later than usual, at 21.15 and finger foods will be provided as well as drinks.

Places are available on our upcoming study events:

Michaelina Wautier a study day at The Linnean Society of London with Dr Adam Sammut, on Thursday 16th April.

The Michaelina Wautier exhibition is now open at the the Royal Academy which includes her Bacchus masterpiece and unites for the first time in Europe her paintings of the five senses. This study day is an opportunity to learn about this forgotten artist and the Brussels baroque art scene. The Linnaean Society venue in Burlington House enables participants to visit the exhibition at the end of the study day.

Angevin and Aragonese Naples: A Crucible of Cultures a study day at Lettsom House with Drs Paula and Geoff Nuttall on Tuesday 12th May.

Forging the Baroque: histories of Neapolitan art in the long 17th century a three-day online course on Tuesday 2nd, Wednesday 3rd and Thursday 4th June 2026, 11.00am to 1pm with Dr Giulia Martina Weston.

American Art and its Publics 1880-1939 a study day at Lettsom House with Dr Kathy McLaughlan on Friday 3rd July.

The Biedermeier: A Triumph of Simplicity in a complex Time an online study day with Thomas Abbott on Thursday 16th July.

Barbizon and the Making of Modern Landscape a three-day online course on 6th, 7th and 8th October 14.00-16.00 with Jo Rhymer.

London Interiors – Style and Taste in Interior Design, 1660-1940 a three-day online course on 24th, 25th and 26th November 10.00-12.00 with Steve Brindle.

All the above are in-person study events (except Forging the Baroque, Barbizon and the Making of Modern Landscape and London Interiors – Style and Taste in Interior Design, 1660-1940) and are also offered on a post-event recording only basis, with recordings available to all attendees for 4 weeks.

There are also many upcoming study visits and walks:

Visit to St George’s Chapel and Archives Windsor on Friday 24th April. This is now waiting list only.

Visit to Canterbury Cathedral with Dr Sally Dormer on Wednesday 20th May. This is now waiting list only. If we have enough members interested in a possible second Guided Tour of Canterbury Cathedral with Dr Sally Dormer, this will go ahead on Friday 2nd October 2026 – and will be advertised in the next month or two.

Royal Geographical Society Visit at The Royal Geographical Society in Kensington on Thursday 7th May at 11:00 – 13:00.

Our tour of the RGS is still available to book by both members and non-members. Founded in 1830, the building includes the beautiful and inspiring RGS Historic Rooms associated with the planning and reporting of notable explorers and their expeditions including Darwin, Shackleton and Scott. The  extensive  and famous ‘Explorer Art Collection’ is outstanding, particularly its Expedition Photography.

The tour will be led by Dr Katherine Parker, the Cartographic Collections Manager. If any LAHS member has an interest in a particular expedition she will endeavour to give a focus in the tour to some artwork from that expedition.

Visit to Coventry Cathedral Coventry on Friday 10th July

Date for your diary:

14 July 2026: London Cathedral Mosaics – There will be a study visit to two important Cathedral venues in London, St Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral and Westminster Cathedral, which display fine examples of mosaic artistry, illustrating how different methods of creating mosaics produce markedly different results. Booking will open shortly.

Please bear in mind that in order for these events to go ahead, we need to cover their costs. We kindly ask that members book as early as possible to ensure that events do not need to be rescheduled or at worst cancelled.

Ravenna Tour

There are a few places left on the tour to Ravenna 15th-19th June led by Cecily Hennessy and being run by James Hill Travels for our Members. If you are interested in joining the tour please contact info@jameshilltravels.com or 01869 906043.

Current Exhibitions and Lectures in London

Talk: The Trumpet Shall Sound: Music in Biblical Art at The Foundling Museum. In person and online on April 24th at 15:00. From David’s soothing harp and the voices of angels to the terrifying trumpets of the Apocalypse, discover how artists made expressions of faith visible with their depictions of music in this in-person and online talk by Amina Wright.

Performance: A Mirrored Monet a musical at the Charing Cross Theatre. On now until 9 May 2026. he show provides an intimate look at Monet‘s creative process, bringing Belle Époque Paris and the world of the early Impressionists to life. It’s a chance for members to connect with Monet‘s legacy in a way that sparks conversation.

Exclusive ticket discount using the code MONET25, which provides £25 tickets for all performances up to 5 April

The Weight of Being: Vulnerability, Resilience and Mental Health in Art at Two Temple Place. On now until 19th April

Women of Influence: The Pattle Sisters at Watts Gallery. On now until 4th May.

Ink Flux: Seven Narratives of Contemporary Chinese Ink at Bluerider ART in London. On now until 24th May.

Ramses and the Pharaoh’s Gold: The Exhibition at Battersea Power Station. On now until 31st May.

With thanks to Eva Bigalke, you can access and download a listing of current and future exhibitions showing in London from now until September 2026 here.

Overseas Exhibitions

Helen Frankenthaler. The Kunstmuseum Basel, Basel, Switzerland. Opening 18th April until 23rd of August.

The Helen Frankenthaler exhibition presents over 50 works, including paintings and works on paper, tracing the American artist’s development across more than six decades. It highlights her pioneering “soak-stain” technique, pouring diluted paint onto unprimed canvas, which reshaped postwar abstraction and influenced the emergence of Color Field painting, while also examining her engagement with art history from the Renaissance to modernism.

Lee Miller. Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris, Paris, France. Opening 10th April until 2nd of August

A major retrospective presenting around 250 photographs that trace the artist’s career from fashion model and surrealist collaborator to pioneering war correspondent. It explores the breadth of her work, from experimental and fashion photography to powerful wartime images revealing the devastation of World War II

Catwalk: The Art of the Fashion Show. V&A Dundee, Scotland. Opening 3rd April until 17th January 2027

This exhibition explores more than a century of fashion shows, tracing their evolution from intimate couture salon presentations to large-scale theatrical runway spectacles. The exhibition features garments, film, and archival materials from major fashion houses including Alexander McQueen, Chanel, Dior, and Louis Vuitton to examine how the runway became a powerful form of visual storytelling in fashion.

If you wish to recommend other overseas exhibitions that may be of interest to fellow members please contact our Communications Coordinator.