Stratford-upon-Avon
Decorative and Fine Arts Society

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STOP PRESS

• Thursday 8 July 2010 – Trip to Bolsover Castle and Hardwick Hall
  
  So popular was this trip that we took 90 members in two coaches to Bolsover Castle and Hardwick Hall. Our April lecture on Bess of Hardwick had encouraged a great interest to see these two properties with connections to Bess and her family. We were lucky enough to have wonderful weather which enabled us to relax outside, particularly at Bolsover Castle and appreciate the beauty of its position offering breathtaking views. Starting with coffee, tea and biscuits at the castle restaurant, we were free to wonder around the grounds and with the help of the excellent audio-guides learn about the history of this remarkable castle. The castle that we see today was mainly built and developed in the early 17th century by Bess's son Charles Cavendish and his son William. The previous castle had belonged to Bess's fourth husband George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury, but had fallen into ruins. This new castle is fascinating in that since it was built it has changed hardly at all to suit the needs of succeeding centuries. It has therefore left us the finest surviving example in England of a rare Riding House where the art of ménage was practised – making horses circle, leap or kneel, like the famous Spanish Riding School in Vienna. Even more remarkable is the Little Castle, begun in 1612 by Charles Cavendish as a fantasy house for leisure and lavish entertaining. Here we saw rooms beautifully decorated for specific pleasures, for instance, music, art, dining and love, the latter decorations leaving a smile on our members' faces! Built as a miniature medieval castle it has a walled fountain garden where the courtiers would act out plays and display their riding skills. Our members found it an ideal place to take a seat in the wall niches and enjoy a rest amongst the scented roses.
  
  Our next visit was to Hardwick Hall, only a few miles away. The famous rhyme says 'Hardwick Hall, more glass than wall', and we could immediately see why this was true. The house has huge expanses of window glass. Bess of Hardwick was in her sixties when she had this house built, using the skills of Robert Smythson, one of the first Englishmen to be described as an 'architect'. Uniquely among Elizabethan houses, Hardwick retains the textures of its original decoration – huge Flemish tapestries, Persian table–carpets, painted wall–hangings, coloured plaster friezes, inlaid furniture, rows of original portraits and the finest collection of 16th and 17th century needlework in the world. Many can still be identified in the detailed inventory that Bess had compiled in 1601. Some of our members had visited before and so fascinating and beautiful is this house that a return visit was a must. Others had always wanted to visit and they were not disappointed. Although we had 90 people in our group and there were other people visiting the house, we were all soon spread throughout its many rooms and everyone was able conduct their visit at their own pace. Some also found time for a cream tea, a visit to the beautiful gardens and a bit of shopping! Everyone agreed that the day was a huge success. Many commented that Bolsover Castle was a hidden gem and so it is. Our Christmas trip to Chatsworth House on 1 December 2010 gives us a chance to see yet another property associated with Bess of Hardwick – perhaps you would like to come along!
  
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• SADFAS Tour to the Lakes, Glasgow and Edinburgh 20th to 24th June 2010
  
  Twenty four members of SADFAS enjoyed a sunny 5 day visit to Scotland in June. Our first stop was at Blackwell House near Lake Windermere, a beautiful example of the work of Arts and Crafts architect, Mackay Hugh Baillie Scott and full of stunning decorative detail and design. After a delicious lunch, we travelled on to Glasgow where we met our tour guide, Elisabeth who accompanied us for the next 4 days.
  
  Our first night welcome drink and dinner enabled the party to get to know each other and orientate themselves for evening strolls in Glasgow.
  
  Next day we explored the work and influence of Charles Rennie Mackintosh at the Hunterian Art Gallery and the Mackintosh House Gallery (rooms with the original fixtures of the flat he shared with his wife, Margaret Macdonald). We continued with a tour of the Glasgow School of Art and lunch at The Willow Tearooms, both designed by him. Our afternoon visit was to the impressive Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum where we saw many famous paintings and had the opportunity to visit an exhibition of The Glasgow Boys.
  
  A full day in Edinburgh began with a visit to the National Gallery for Scotland, famous for its Renaissance and Impressionist art but which was also holding an exhibition of The Glasgow Boys and the Scottish Colourists. Members were given the opportunity to explore the shops, Royal Mile or Holyrood House by themselves before meeting up for a brief visit to the Scottish Parliament. The SMPs were not sitting but we were able to examine the modern architecture at our leisure – opinions were rather divided on its merits!
  
  We were fortunate to have a private visit to The Hill House at Helensburgh, designed by Mackintosh for the publisher, Walter Blackie, and now in the care of The National Trust for Scotland. Again, we were astonished at the care and attention that had been lavished on every aspect of the furniture, fireplaces, lighting and wall décor.
  
  After a picturesque lunch break by the shore of Loch Lomond, we departed for Bellahouston Park to visit The House for An Art Lover where Mackintosh’s designs which he did for a competition but which were never put into practice are gradually being reconstructed. The house itself is complete but only the downstairs rooms so far have been furnished. We were told that it is a very popular wedding venue these days. Our final highlight of the day was an evening dinner at The Glasgow Art Club – another beautiful building with early Mackintosh features. Dinner was preceded by a very interesting lecture by Dr James McCauley who has recently published a book on Mackintosh.
  
  Before our return to Stratford we visited the Burrell Collection at Pollok Park. We were fascinated not only by the design of the museum but by the variety of the exhibits which range from stained glass and tapestries to Rodin sculptures, Chinese ceramics and many paintings. We arrived home in the evening, all agreeing that it had been a most enjoyable and worthwhile trip.
  
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• Young Arts News
  
  For more information on some exciting developments concerning Young Arts – Wilmcote Primary School and the CBSO and the Royal Society of British Artists and A level students, please see the Young Arts page
  
  If any member knows of a group which could benefit from the Society’s support for a Young Arts music project this year, please inform Margaret Cunnington (Young Arts Secretary) either on lecture days or ring her on 024 76 622 899 with the details of the person within the School/College/Society to be contacted (See Young Arts page).
  
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• Due to popular demand we are pleased to announce that we have arranged a trip to the newly redesigned Ashmolean Museum on Tuesday 5 October 2010 at a price of £10.
  Tickets will be on sale at the May, June and September lectures. For more information please go to our Visits page.
  
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• Thursday 17 June 2010 – How to enjoy sculpture: a brief guide to art in three dimensions
  
  Three–dimensional art is sometimes difficult to understand, but Angela Cox gave us an informative lecture on different aspects of sculpture, using images ranging from Greek statues to 20th century installations. One of the main changes is that up to the last century, sculpture was traditionally both fixed and long–lasting, but nowadays this art form can often involve movement and be of a temporary nature.
  
  In traditional sculpture, stone, especially marble, was always favoured, as epitomised by the Elgin Marbles and Michelangelo's “David”. This famous statue, which was commissioned as a symbol of the Republic of Florence, was completed in 1501 and stands 2 metres high. Wood was popular for carving, especially in northern Europe, as demonstrated by the wooden carved religious plaques, and these works were compared with Barbara Hepworth's modern wooden “Helicoids in a Sphere”. Clay too is an excellent medium as shown in a beautifully shaped bust of William Hogarth by the French sculptor Louis Roubiliac from 1730.
  
  Metal, especially bronze, offers great strength for large works such as “Marcus Aurelius on his horse” from the 2nd century AD. This image was contrasted with Henry Moore's complex bronze “Reclining Figure” from 1939 and with David Smith's “Agricola” – a metal sculpture made entirely from farm machinery.
  
  Space is an essential component in some sculptures such as the marble “Samson killing a Philistine” from 16th century Bologna, and demonstrated again in the 20th century by “Woman combing her hair”, a wonderful flowing shape by the Russian artist Alexander Archipenko.
  
  We are all familiar with Alexander Calder's mobiles, in which motion is essential, but one of the most exciting moving installations in the 20th century was “Running Fence” by Christo. This 24–mile long stretch of blowing white nylon along the coast of California took four years to build, but was only in situ for two weeks.
  
  Some sculpture is site–specific, such as the beautiful bronze low–relief Baptistry doors by Ghiberti in Florence, and in our own time the “Angel of the North” near Gateshead by Anthony Gormley, which has a wing–span of 54 metres and suggests to the distant viewer images of both angels and aeroplanes.
  
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• Church Recorders at All Saints Luddington Church
  
  
  
  

  Church Recorders with Richard Potts (2nd left), and SADFAS Chairman Rosie Langman (2nd. right)
  

  
  
  

  Richard Potts (left) hands Church Records to Rev. Martin Gorick and Church Wardens, Jane Beeley and Roger Dopson.
  

  On Sunday 6 June a group of SADFAS members joined the congregation of All Saints Luddington for the formal hand–over of the newly–compiled Church Records. The service was conducted by the Reverend Martin Gorick who, mid–way through, introduced Richard Potts who was the leader of the group of 12–15 people who have been working on the Church Records since 2006. Richard emphasised that his team had to work to a very strict format set by NADFAS, the National Monuments Office in Swindon and the V&A. A description, written and photographic, of every single artefact in the church, including even pews, windows, lectern etc. had to be made, with each item considered as to its dating, material, size, weight and other categories. It was very painstaking work undertaken by 2–3 people working in each discipline.
  
  Richard then handed over one copy of the Records to Church Wardens, Jane Beeley and Roger Dopson, and two other copies will be kept by the V&A and NADFAS House respectively. The Church will have a valuable resource available to all concerned with the management and preservation of our church heritage. However Richard added rather ruefully that such Records were most frequently used by insurance companies when items had been either damaged or stolen.
  
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• Thursday 20 May – Pearls Before Swine: a Royal Necklace
  
  The May lecture “Pearls before Swine” could also have been called “The Mystery of the Missing Necklace” such is the intrigue surrounding this Royal necklace. Our entertaining lecturer, Jane Kelsall, sketched the tortuous path of these jewels through many countries over the last five hundred years.
  
  The pearls in question were originally a gift from Pope Clement VII in 1523 to his niece Catherine de Medici on her marriage to the second son of the King of France. As well as money, her dowry included six long ropes of natural pearls, twenty five pear drop pearls and seven pearls reputedly as big as cherries. The pearl necklaces passed to Mary Queen of Scots and then to Elizabeth I in England, as seen in the famous “Armada” portrait of Elizabeth; unsurprisingly the French were displeased about Elizabeth's possession of this lavish set of pearls and angry letters were exchanged between the two Courts.
  
  The pearls passed through The House of Stuart to the German Hanoverians, but Queen Charlotte was so concerned about George III's immoral behaviour that she had all the Royal jewel boxes marked “Property of the House of Hanover”. This act formed the basis of a law–suit between the House of Hanover and Queen Victoria (of the House of Saxe–Coburg), which lasted fourteen years! After many drawn–out legal battles, the legal judgement was that the collection of pearls should be divided in half between the two Houses. Since then this jewellery has always been called “The Hanover Pearls”.
  
  Queen Elizabeth II inherited the jewellery upon her coronation. Three of the original peardrop pearls are in the canopy of the State Crown while her diadem includes a double row of pearls, both of which can be seen at the Tower of London. However there is an unsolved mystery as to the whereabouts of the other half of the Hanover Pearls, which should be in Germany, and some believe that George VI may have bought the missing necklaces back from his German cousin after World War II.
  
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• Wednesday 5 May 2010 – A Coach trip around six churches of the Warwickshire Cotswolds with Tim Bridges
  
  A truly wonderful day was enjoyed by fifty SADFAS members when they were guided around six churches by a well–known expert in church architecture – Tim Bridges.
  
  Starting at Tredington church, where we were treated to refreshments, Tim explained the history of this large Saxon church with its landmark spire and wealth of furnishings and brasses. Onto the tiny medieval church of Barcheston with its tower leaning 20 inches to the west! Here Tim explained its association with the famous Sheldon tapestries produced in the 17th century, some of which can now be seen at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Our next stop was in Brailes where we were met with a peal of bells from St George's, a medieval church known as 'the Cathedral of the Feldon'. We received a very warm welcome from Canon Nicholas Morgan who remembered the hard work carried out in this church by SADFAS church recorders. We were also very lucky to be shown a new beautifully embroidered altar cloth worked by one of the parishioners. Leaving the church we walked to the 'hidden' 18th century Catholic chapel which was in an upstairs room of a nearby farmhouse! Father Brian Doolan explained that this was one of the oldest public post–reformation chapels and is still in public use today. The room was simple and elegant with Georgian details. From there we walked to the George Hotel for a superb buffet lunch and the opportunity to chat over our morning activities with friends and new acquaintances.
  
  Refreshed and ready to go, our next stop was the hilltop church in Warmington, a pretty medieval church with a 14th century priest's room. The churchyard also revealed graves of soldiers killed in action during the Civil War. Our last church was the newly refurbished and atmospheric church of Burton Dasset where we were treated to coffee, tea and cake. Built of the ironbearing limestone that was quarried in the surrounding hills, this church is famous for its medieval wall paintings and carvings.
  
  It was a full and extremely interesting day. The weather was very kind to us and the countryside looked beautiful with hundreds of blossom trees in bloom. Tim was a perfect guide and we shall certainly be inviting him back for a future trip.
  
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• Thursday 15 April 2010 – Bess and her Descendants: the Cavendishes at Hardwick, Bolsover and Chatsworth
  
  The life and legacy of Bess of Hardwick proved a fascinating subject for this month's lecture by Roger Mitchell. Born a gentlewoman, Bess married four times and by the end of her life had gained the title Countess of Shrewsbury, as well as the ownership of Hardwick Hall, Bolsover Castle and Chatsworth, all in Derbyshire. Her reputation is encapsulated in Horace Walpole's ditty “Four times the nuptial bed she warm'd, And every time so well performed, That when death spoiled each husband's billing, He left his widow every shilling”! However Bess was the mother of six surviving children, a caring grandmother to Arbella Stuart, an astute property manager and a tough political female figure in the sixteenth century.
  
  When Bess married her second husband, William Cavendish, they bought the Chatsworth Estate, where her children were born. After his death, she married Sir William St Loe, and then George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury in 1580. The Talbot family was obliged to guard Mary, Queen of Scots at Chatsworth, but Bess quickly became estranged from Talbot and returned to Old Hardwick Hall with her eldest son William. Here she undertook the building of a new Hardwick Hall opposite the old one. While the Old Hall is now ruins, the new Hardwick Hall is a beautiful Renaissance country house, boasting lovely tapestries and a spectacular long gallery.
  
  The nearby Bolsover Castle was built by William Cavendish and reflects his passion for horses with its Italianate riding school and stables, as well as the unusual “Little Castle” in the grounds.
  
  Chatsworth was rebuilt by Bess's descendant William, Earl of Devonshire, who became Duke of Devonshire in 1684, and is now considered one of the finest baroque palaces in the country. Its grandeur is unsurpassed and the gardens, particularly the cascades and the Italian fountains, are spectacular. Chatsworth is still owned by the Cavendish family, with the 12th Duke and his wife in residence.
  
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• Thursday 18 March 2010 – Berthe Morisot and Edouard Manet: an Extraordinary Relationship
  
  We were delighted to welcome back Michael Howard who gave an inspiring talk on “Berthe Morisot and Edouard Manet” whose lives were intertwined in the Parisian art scene of the mid-nineteenth century. Berthe Morisot, a beautiful young amateur painter, was befriended by Manet, who introduced her to the new Impressionist style of painting. At that time classical art, represented by such painters as Ingres and Poussin was exhibited in the important Parisian Salon, but the breakaway Impressionist group aimed to paint contemporary life, seeing their subject matter with a new sincerity and honesty. Banned from the Salon, they were forced to exhibit their works at independent galleries.
  
  Degas, Monet, Renoir and Cézanne all painted in Paris at the same time as Manet and Morisot who, as a woman, found it more difficult to show her work. Manet painted Morisot's portrait many times, as well as such celebrated works as “Music in the Tuilerie Gardens”, “Olympia” and “The Bar at the Folies-Bergère”.
  
  Morisot herself excelled at domestic subjects and brought a new female perspective to the art scene in Paris. Her pictures of a sleeping baby in “The Cradle”, as well as her portraits of her sister and of a kitchen maid, demonstrate her extraordinary talent and bring a delicate intimacy to her work.
  
  While Manet and Morisot clearly had a very close relationship, she eventually married Manet's brother Eugène and never painted outside her family again. However, her genius within the Impressionist Movement cannot be overlooked, and Michael Howard, with his immense knowledge of that period, brought these household names to life through many magnificent pictures.
  
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• Tuesday 2 March 2010 – Study Day – Japanese Woodblock Prints of the Edo Period
  
  On 2 March 2010 an audience of thirty–five were treated to an excellent Study Day of Japanese woodblock printing of the Edo period. The informative and entertaining presentation by Suzanne Perrin fascinated and enthralled listeners and generated a very enthusiastic question and answer session. Many of those present, who had little previous knowledge of this subject, ended the day with a newly enthused desire to learn more. A slightly unusual subject provided an exceptionally enjoyable day.
  
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• Thursday 18 February 2010 – Deadly Rivals: The Earl of Arundel, the Duke of Buckingham and Charles I as Patrons of the Arts
  
  Tom Duncan treated us to an amusing and informative lecture entitled “Deadly Rivals: Arundel, Buckingham, Hamilton and Charles I as patrons of the Arts”, explaining that during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries England was culturally insular partly because of its geographical situation but also because of political and religious differences with mainland Europe. These three noblemen aimed to counteract this lack of knowledge of Renaissance and Baroque art by acquiring European works to enhance both their houses and their Court standing.
  
  The Earl of Arundel bought paintings from Europe including works by Titian and Rubens to embellish his classical house on the River Thames, designed by Inigo Jones. Buckingham quickly followed Arundel's interests and they became deadly rivals over the quality and quantity of their collections. King Charles I's collections were strengthened by gifts of works by Titian and Raphael from Philip IV of Spain, while James, First Duke of Hamilton favoured paintings by the celebrated Van Dyck.
  
  Once the Parliamentarians had won the Civil War, these collections were sold by Oliver Cromwell to the nobility of Spain, Austria and France, and English patronage of the arts abruptly halted. Tom Duncan's lecture, full of witty anecdotes about the intricacies of Royal politics and Court rivalry left his audience with a wonderful overview of those decades in which English noblemen coveted European art.
  
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• Thursday 11 February 2010
  Annual General Meeting
  The Civic Hall, Rother Street
  
  The AGM started at 11 am and was followed by the lecture, The Development of the St Ives Art Colony (1885-1914) by David Tovey and a buffet lunch. (See Lectures page for more information)
  
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• 2010 AGM and lecture report
  
  
  
  

  Rosie Langman (Chairman) and David Tovey (Lecturer) at the SADFAS AGM on 11 February 2010
  

  This February SADFAS held its Annual General Meeting at the Civic Hall, with Lady Follett in the chair. Her interesting report was followed by the Treasurers Report, plus reports from other groups such as the Heritage Volunteers and Young Arts representatives. At the end of the meeting, Lady Follett handed the Chairmanship over to Mrs Rosemary Langman who thanked her predecessor for all the hard work during the last three years. Newcomers to the committee were Mrs. Margaret Cunnington, Mrs Yvonne O'Hara, Mrs Jill Philps and Ms Jean Vaudeau, while Lady Follett, Mrs Christine Barter, Mrs Jo Davis and Mrs. Pauline Hemmings retired. Mrs Susanne Eastwood became the new Vice Chairman, and Mrs Wendy Ashley, Mrs Judith Dorricott, Mrs Gillian Nussey, Mrs Barbara Purser, Mr Christopher Purser and Ms Stella Webley remained on the committee. Mrs Tricia Doyle and Mrs Ann Langton also remained as co-opted members of the new committee.
  
  After the AGM, SADFAS members heard a fascinating lecture by Mr David Tovey on “The Development of the St. Ives Colony from 1885 to 1914”. Because the railways reached Penzance in the mid-1800s, artists were able to visit Cornwall more easily and could obtain inspiration from the beautiful countryside, the sea and the picturesque town of St. Ives. In the latter part of the century, as well as British artists working both in oils and watercolours, St. Ives attracted French and American painters, who were often influenced by the important Parisian art scene. J A M Whistler visited, painting works that were much more abstract than the meticulous Pre–Raphaelite paintings and sentimental Victorian works currently in vogue in London. Other popular landscape and seascape artists included Adrian Stokes and Edward Simmons, as well as the lecturer's own great–grandfather W H Y Titcomb, an acclaimed figurative painter whose work includes “Primitive Methodists at Prayer, St Ives”. Julian Olsson was a leading landscape painter at the turn of the century with such evocative works as “Moonlit Shore” and seascapes that eventually became acceptable in Royal Academy exhibitions. However, by 1914 the practice of landscape painting out–of–doors was ending, and despite over fifty American artists living in St. Ives at that time, this charming town became a shadow of its former self.
  
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• Thursday 21 January 2010 – Opera, the melting pot of culture
  
  On Thursday 21 January we were delighted to welcome Sarah Lenton who gave a brilliantly witty and amusing lecture entitled ‘Opera, the melting pot of culture’.
  
  We were treated to a history of the development of opera from its beginnings in the Renaissance to the present day. Visual representations were interspersed by musical illustrations of the operas discussed. Ms Lenton explained how very early opera, written by Monteverdi, was derived from Greek drama and was dependent on patronage. She followed opera through Mozart, Rossini, Verdi and Wagner to Benjamin Britten and pointed out that it has always been of great technical brilliance but has also depended on patronage throughout its history.
  
  It is now some 400 years since the beginnings of opera and, as in the Renaissance, it is attended by a self-selected group of opera-goers rather than the majority of the population.
  
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