Categories
History
The Greek city on a Croatian island
The Greeks have a long tradition of travelling to new lands – a Greek city on a Croatian island – in pursuit of trade or a better life.
Sir Richard Whittington: founder of the Guildhall Library, London
Sir Richard Whittington: founder of the Guildhall Library, London
Samuel Pepys and his Library
Samuel Pepys (1633 –1703) is best remembered for his diary, a gossipy account of the personalities and intrigues of London …
Jordan beyond Petra
“It seems no work of Man’s creative hand, by labour wrought as wavering fancy planned; But from the rock as …
Buddhism along the Silk Road
The ‘Silk Road’, coined by 19th century German explorer Ferdinand von Richthofen (uncle of famed WWI fighter Ace ‘The Red Baron’) is something …
El Greco: Man of Two Worlds - and Beyond
Here’s a Trivial Pursuits question: Can you name an artist and sculptor known universally by an ethnic nickname? The answer …
Morocco: A Historical Introduction
Historial Introduction Morocco nestles in the far northwest corner of Africa, bounded to the west by the Atlantic Ocean and …
The Holy Grail - Chalice, Bowl or Person
The Holy Grail is, arguably, the most celebrated piece of tableware from the last two thousand years. So much so that there are 200 goblets throughout Europe which claim the honour. Over the centuries, it has inspired great art and literature.
Art and Culture in Spain: A Historical Introduction
Modern Spain occupies two thirds of the Iberian peninsula, an arid mountainous outpost of the Eurasian landmass which, separated from …
Historical Background: The History of Lisbon & Portugal
During the Prehistoric period the valley in which the heart of Lisbon now lies was the bed of a forked …
Lectures
Fresco Painting in the Veneto
Some of Italy’s most celebrated paintings were created using the ancient technique of fresco, of which a significant number are located in the Veneto.
Caravaggio in Sicily
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio is one of art history’s most fascinating personalities: a painter of genius and a man possessed of a violent, mercurial temperament.
Everywhere the Glint of Gold
After its long awaited opening, the Grand Egyptian Museum is now open and for the first time all the treasures from Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s tomb are on display together. In this lecture Lucia reveals many lesser-known but wonderful items.
From desert trails to ocean sails
The distinctive landscapes of Oman were shaped by the ancient trade routes that crossed them, conveying luxury goods such as spices, textiles and incense between Africa, Arabia and the wider world of the Indian Ocean.
Paintings in Stone
Between the 2nd and the 4th centuries CE, the mosaic workshops in the cities of the Roman Provinces of Africa (modern western Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco) excelled in the production of high quality coloured figurative and geometric pattern mosaics