E-News Bulletin May 2025

Along with our Society events coming up, we have got some wonderful recommendations for exhibitions currently on in London which we hope will give you some inspiration for the upcoming May bank holiday.

SOCIETY EVENTS
Our next member lecture, The Chapel of Carlo Spiafame, ‘native of Lucca’, in Avignon Cathedral presented by Dr Geoffrey Nuttall is on the 10th of June and can be attended in person at the Art Workers’ Guild, or accessed as a post event recording. There is no fee but booking is required.

There are still places on several upcoming study events including:

American Art in the 1960s a two day study event led by Ben Street on Tuesday 24th and Wednesday 25th June.

Imperial Garden Cities: Babylon, Palmyra, Samarkand, Agra a study day led by Sue Rollin on Friday 4th July.

All the above study days and courses are offered as in-person events at Lettsom House and post event recordings.

Rethinking the History of Architecture in England 1530-1830 an online Zoom study event presented by Steven Brindle on Wednesday 24th and Thursday 25th September is also open for booking. The recording will be available for 4 weeks.

There are also several upcoming study visits and walks:

The Exterior and Immediate Environs of St Paul’s Cathedral – St Bride’s Church and Museum a study walk and visit led by Yvonne Jackman on Friday 11th July.

Heiress: Sargent’s American Portraits Curator’s Tour at Kenwood House led by Ella Letort on Friday 8th August.

Visit to Worcester Cathedral led by Dr Hugh Doherty on Wednesday 3rd September.

You may wish to save the following date in your diaries:

Monday 8th December: Tour of the British Library Conservation Studio

Please bear in 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.

Current Exhibitions and Lectures in London

Milein Cosman Lecture 2025: Places of the Mind, Portraits of the Soul: Drawings by Jonathan Richardson and John Constable. Given by Dr Susan Owens. Tuesday 6th May at 18:30 – 19:30.

Foundling Museum Lecture: 18th-Century British Painting: Landscapes. Given by Dr Matthew Morgan. 9 May at 15:00 – 16:00.

Foundling Museum Lecture: 18th-Century British Painting: Portraits. Given by Dr Matthew Morgan. 23 May at 15:00 – 16:00.

Heiress: Sargent’s American Portraits at Kenwood House. From 16th May – 5th Oct 2025.

Turner’s Kingdom: Beauty, Birds, and Beasts at Turner’s House in Twickenham. From April 23rd – 26th October.

Unfolding Time: The Medieval Pocket Calendar at Lambeth Palace Library. From 14th February – 15th May.

Morris Mania at William Morris Gallery. From 12th April – 22nd September.

Caring Companions at The Florence Nightingale Museum. Until Autumn 2025.

With thanks to Eva Bigalke, you can access and download a listing of current and future exhibitions showing in London from now until November 2025 here.

Overseas Exhibitions

Caravaggio 2025 Museum Barberini, Rome, Italy. Until 6th July.

One of the most important and ambitious projects featuring Michelangelo Merisi, known as Caravaggio (1571 – 1610), with an exceptional number of autograph paintings and an itinerary of difficult-to-view pieces and new discoveries in one of the places symbolising the connection between this artist and his patrons.

Alphonse Mucha Palazzo dei Diamanti, Ferrara, Italy. Until 20th July.

The exhibition at Palazzo dei Diamanti illustrates Mucha’s entire biographical and artistic career through approximately 150 works – including paintings, drawings, photographs, posters, objects: from the decisive meeting in Paris with the “divine Sarah” to the affirmation of his language through advertising posters; from the projects for the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1900 to his stays in the United States, up to the production of his mature years spent in Czechoslovakia.

Gustav Klimt – Pigment & Pixel Belvedere Museum, Vienna, Austria. Until 7th September.

This exhibition uses eight Klimt paintings from the Belvedere’s collection to present the results of radiological investigations and studies of material technology performed on his works in recent years.

Paula Rego and Adriana Varejão – Between your Teeth Centro de Arte Moderna Gulbenkian, Lisbon, Portugal. Until 22nd September.

This exhibition features around 80 works by two internationally recognised artists: Paula Rego (Lisbon, 1935 – London, 2022) and Adriana Varejão (Rio de Janeiro, 1964).

Books of Hours a History in Objects Chateau De Chantilly, Chantilly, France. 7th June to 5th October.

The Very Rich Hours of the Duke of Berry and the Hours of Étienne Chevalier are placed in their broader context. In parallel the Reading Room will present a collection of over fifty Books of Hours, in manuscript and print form, surveying the history of these previously neglected but now widely celebrated objects.

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