Although his name is generally thrown in with the Impressionists, Manet is a quite independent artist whose reputation stands alone.  Elegant, well mannered and fashionable, this sophisticated Parisian absorbed the ideas of the old masters and redefined them in the language of the real world around him: the cafes, the dance halls and cabarets of the city. Crackling with light and energy, and the incomparable brilliance of his brushwork, these paintings shocked and appalled the public at the time but have earned him the unrivalled status in history of being the first painter of the modern world.

In this workshop Caroline and her colleague, Joanna Green, will:

• Demonstrate the use of the calligrapher’s broad-edged pen

• Show their use in a range of scripts from Uncials and Roman Capitals through Gothic letters and 16th Century Italics to scripts of the 20th and 21st Century

• Demonstrate the beauty of Copperplate script

• Talk about some of their own work and share a facsimile copy of the St John’s Gospel, the first handwritten and illuminated Bible in 500 years. Full sized copies of the complete seven volumes can now be seen by appointment at Salisbury Cathedral

 Last, but not least, you can also try out your own skills as a budding calligrapher.

The Artistic Legacy of Alexander the Great in Central Asia.

1. Art and architecture in Hellenic Asia

2. The Carpet Gardens of central Asia

3. The Great Game: Art in the early Raj

In Britain, little is known about Germany’s unique post-WW2 process of remembrance and the efforts undertaken to find art forms that honour the victims of one of history’s darkest periods.

With all traditional forms of memorial deemed irrelevant and inappropriate, German artists were faced with questions of apology and atonement. But how do you express national guilt and shame rather than pride and patriotism? How do you remember what you would rather forget?

The ensuing culture of ‘counter memorials’ with their aim to keep the memories and lessons of the past alive in the individual psyches of the people, is extraordinary, brave, and inspiring. With her Anglo-German roots and personal connection to the subject, Angela is ideally placed to give insights into this hugely interesting and topical subject.

1. Viking Gods and Valkyries

2. Iceland in three stories

3. Denmark-Re-imagining the Nation

1. The Modern Breakthrough

2.Scandinavian Modern

3. Case Study: Finn Juhl

For our next Arts+ event you are invited to spend 30 minutes learning more about one of the great works of the early Italian Renaissance. The Florentine artist Benozzo Gozzoli is still relatively unknown but his work, The Journey of the Magi, was celebrated at the time for its splendour, its magnificent portraits and for its amazing depiction of the flora and fauna of his native Tuscany. NB. This will be a free lecture on Zoom.

Opera is an elaborate, even extravagant, art form. It requires the work of composers, librettists, conductors, directors, designers, wardrobe, wig and prop technicians, as well as orchestra, chorus, soloists, stage crew and an audience in front of which to perform. Simon Rees has been given access by his former company, Welsh National Opera, to use photographs of every step of the production. This lecture will explain set models, costume designs, making workshops, wardrobe and wigs, rehearsals with orchestra, soloists and chorus, and the run-up to the dress-rehearsal and the first night.

Nothing in art is by accident. Everything you see has been left for us to see by the artist. Some of the objects are unusual, some rare and some strange. This lecture will explore works of art from a variety of periods and styles and examine the devil in the detail!

Having had access to the jewels designated Heirlooms of the Crown and with a spectacular collection of her own, the Queen Mother had so much jewellery to choose from over the course of her long life that it would be almost impossible to describe it all. So in this talk Simon chronicle her passion for jewels by concentrating on a selection of items which are of particular gemmological and historic interest ..… and have an intriguing story attached.

Join us for a personal tour of the studios of two Wiltshire artists. In the morning we will visit the studio of Roy Evans. Roy is a sculptor specialising in copper to create unique two and three dimensional pieces inspired by nature. In the afternoon we will visit the studio of Judy Boyt. Judy has exhibited her animal sculptures and drawings in galleries across the UK and has won many awards for her sculptures.

Over one hundred years since she sank on her maiden voyage, RMS TITANIC continues to intrigue and fascinate us. Yet many of the stories about the ship contain errors and speculation that do not do justice to the ship’s design, and few combine the technical aspects with the social history of a family that actually took passage in the ship.