A Paradise Garden: The Meaning of Medieval Plants in Art & The Nature of the Beast: Animals in Medieval Art

LECTURE 1: A PARADISE GARDEN: THE MEANING OF MEDIEVAL PLANTS IN ART

Have you noticed how many medieval paintings are set in May? The language of plants evolved over the centuries to create a lexicon of creation that paved the way to Paradise, a perennial early summer where all the flowers and all the fruits emerge at the same time - but each tells us something different. We explore paintings, tapestry, manuscripts and sculpture to re-learn a lost language. 

LECTURE 2: THE NATURE OF THE BEAST: ANIMALS IN MEDIEVAL ART

Animals were central to medieval arts: we find birds, reptiles, mammals, insects and fabulous creatures in sculpture, illuminated manuscripts, paintings, tapestries and even wax seals. But what were the artists trying to tell us through the animals they portrayed? This talk explores a lost artistic language, to discover that the behaviours and legends of creatures enabled us to learn about ourselves.

LECTURER - DR. JONATHAN FOYLE

Dr Jonathan Foyle was Chief Executive of World Monuments Fund Britain for eight years and a Curator of Historic Buildings at Hampton Court for as long, during which time he took his 2002 PhD on reconstructing Wolsey's palace.

He is a frequent feature writer for the Financial Times on issues of architecture, history & craft, and is approaching his fourth published cathedral monograph: Canterbury, Lincoln, Lichfield - now Peterborough. 

Dr. Foyle is a presenter of numerous television series including BBC4's Henry VIII: Patron or Plunderer? and BBC2's Climbing Great Buildings. He lectures frequently on a range of art-historical topics. He brings teaching experience as a former Course Director for the University of Cambridge Summer Schools and is an Honorary Professor in Conservation at the University of Lincoln.

Tickets £30.00 for the two talks.

• 10 am Arrive (coffee available)
• 10.30 First lecture
• 11.30 Break (coffee available)
• 12.00 Second lecture
• 1.00pm Finish

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