ART TOURS 2019 Highlights
AC E C U LT U R A L TO U R S
A r t To u r s C o l l e c t i o n
CONTENTS INTRODUCTION
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GLASGOW: PATRONS, ART & INNOVATION
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THE GOLDEN AGE OF DUTCH PAINTING
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ARTISTS OF THE NORTH
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FLEMISH PAINTING: FROM VAN EYCK TO RUBENS
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ART NOUVEAU IN BELGIUM
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ART TREASURES OF COPENHAGEN AND SJÆLLAND
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ART ON THE CÔTE D’AZUR
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THE GREAT SPANISH MASTERS: FROM EL GRECO TO SOROLLA & PICASSO
18
3
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION ACE are pleased to offer a wide selection of art history tours in 2019, taking place across the UK and Europe. Our destinations include the vibrant cultural city of Glasgow, whose museums and nearby country houses have benefitted from major conservation programmes; Belgium, where we will enjoy a host of private visits to explore the city’s fascinating Art Nouveau architecture; and Copenhagen, where we will be introduced to internationally renowned art collections by Danish-born art historian and broadcaster Lars Tharp.
In addition to these, we have a further array of exciting art tours taking place throughout the year, led by experienced art historians and lecturers. Read on to learn about further highlights, and to discover our full programme of cultural tours in 2019, visit our website or contact the ACE office. To discover our full programme of nature tours in 2019, we warmly invite you to contact the ACE office. 01223 841055 | aceculturaltours.co.uk
Call:
01223 841055
to make an enquiry, or email: sales@aceculturaltours.co.uk
A r t To u r s C o l l e c t i o n
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GLASGOW: PATRONS, ART & INNOVATION 7 - 1 3 M A Y, 2 0 1 9 | £ 1 5 3 5 | with Evelyn Silber
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n recent years, Glasgow has re-emerged as a vibrant cultural city with year-round activity in every area of the arts, while several of the region’s museums and great country houses have benefitted from major conservation programmes. Our focus on this tour will be the 18th to 20th centuries, as we consider the art, architecture, crafts, collectors and increasingly affluent consumers of this great industrial city. We will also take in the beautiful landscape settings of the grand houses of the Scottish aristocracy, some of whom also owed their wealth to industry.
Highlights within Glasgow range from the modern Riverside Museum, designed by Zaha Hadid, to the splendid and little-known neoclassical interiors of Holmwood House. City visits will also include Tenement House, St Andrews’ in the Square and Mackintosh Queen’s Cross, the only church designed by Mackintosh.
Outside Glasgow, Dumfries House, is a little-altered 18th century gem designed by Robert Adam and home to Chippendale furniture designed and made specifically for this house. Mount Stuart, which we will visit on an excursion to the Isle of Bute, was built for the vastly wealthy 3rd Marquess of Bute. The interiors at Mount Stuart reflect the Marquess’s own distinctive taste and the influence of his friend, the architect William Burges, and embody the wonderful craftsmanship of Welsh workshops. Evelyn Silber is an art historian and former Director of of the Hunterian Museum, University of Glasgow. Evelyn studied at Cambridge and the University of Pennsylvania before becoming a curator at Birmingham Museums and Art Galleries and has a wide range of expertise, having been a medievalist before turning to the early 20th century.
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THE GOLDEN AGE OF DUTCH PAINTING 4 - 8 J U L Y, 2 0 1 9 | £ 1 7 9 5 | with Rupert Dickens
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golden age of Dutch art was heralded in the 17th century, under the patronage of a new merchant class. Dutch painting flourished as never before, as the middle classes commissioned portraits of themselves, and also bought pictures to decorate their homes of a sort rarely seen before: still lifes, flower paintings, marine scenes, landscapes, townscapes and genre paintings – scenes from everyday life. For the first time, artists painted themes of their own choosing, which they sold ‘on spec’ or through dealers.
2019 is a particularly apposite time to explore this fascinating area of art history, as it coincides with the 350th anniversary of Rembrandt’s death, and our tour will have a special focus on the artist’s work. We will visit the world-famous Rijksmuseum, which reopened in 2013 after years of closure, and will also visit two of the other major repositories of 17th century Dutch art: the Frans Hals Museum in Haarlem and the grand Mauritshuis in The Hague. The
latter plans to show 18 works by Rembrandt throughout 2019, as well as a number of rarely-exhibited paintings once attributed to him, in a special exhibition on Rembrandt connoisseurship. Further highlights will include a visit to Rembrandt’s beautifully restored house and studio, which plans to display a selection of prints by artists inspired by the master. We will also visit the collection of Prince William V, an avid collector of 17th century art, and that of distinguished Dutch art historian Abraham Bredius, housed in the elegant 18th century mansion that was his home. This tour will be led by Rupert Dickens, an art historian specialising in Dutch and Flemish art. Rupert studied art history at Birkbeck, University of London, before gaining a Masters degree in Dutch Golden Age Studies at UCL. Previously a BBC journalist for more than 20 years, Rupert is now a guide lecturer at the Wallace Collection.
Call:
01223 841055
to make an enquiry, or email: sales@aceculturaltours.co.uk
Call:
01223 841055
to make an enquiry, or email: sales@aceculturaltours.co.uk
A r t To u r s C o l l e c t i o n
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ARTISTS OF THE NORTH 1 8 - 2 1 J U N E , 2 0 1 9 | £ 8 4 5 | with Suzanne Fagence Cooper
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he influence of the Yorkshire landscape on the work of Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth is well known, and its geological forms have continued to inspire a contemporary generation of sculptors. Our tour of the northern counties visits galleries that have been dedicated to four of the most important British 20th century artists. The Henry Moore Institute in Leeds and the Hepworth Wakefield form part of the ‘Yorkshire triangle’ alongside the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Britain’s most celebrated collection of outdoor artworks.
We will experience the largest public collection of works by the artist L S Lowry, including Coming from the Mill and Going to Work on our visit to the Lowry, a quayside arts centre in Salford. The spectacular 18th century park includes permanent pieces by both Moore and Hepworth, and others including David Nash, Anthony Gormley and Andy Goldsworthy. Further north, Jonathan Silver, a close friend of David Hockney, amassed a collection of
over 300 pieces by the artist, which now occupies a converted mill in Sir Titus Salt’s model village of Saltaire. Manchester Art Gallery also contains important 20th century works, and the strength of its collection lies in its late 18th and 19th century pieces, including Ford Madox Brown’s iconic painting Work (1863), which helped to inspire the commissioning of a series of paintings for Manchester Town Hall. Our tour also includes a visit to the Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery, which since 2008 has been home to an exceptional collection of art. Suzanne Fagence Cooper is a lecturer and historian who specialises in British art history. For 12 years, she was a curator and Research Fellow at the V&A Museum, working on major exhibitions and the British Galleries. She now lives and works in Yorkshire, and has a particular interest in the rich artistic traditions of the North of England.
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FLEMISH PAINTING:
FROM VAN EYCK TO RUBENS 7 - 1 1 A U G U S T, 2 0 1 9 | £ 1 3 6 5 | with Rupert Dickens
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o country – with the exception of Italy – has made such a profound contribution to European art as the land we know today as Belgium. With the development of oil painting in the 15th century onwards, Belgium played an essential role in the evolution of western painting, strongly influencing Italy itself.
The ‘golden age’ of Flemish art began with the brothers Hubert and Jan van Eyck, before being continued by Hans Memling in Bruges, Rogier van der Weyden in Brussels, and Hugo van der Goes in Ghent. Flemish Mannerist architects spread Renaissance ideas throughout northern Europe, and in Van Dyck and Rubens we have two of the most formidable of all Baroque artists. The first stop on our Flemish Painting tour will be Bruges’s Groeningemuseum, host to an enviable collection of van Eyck and van der Weyden and the setting for Hieronymus
Bosch’s Last Judgment. We will also taste the delights of the Memling Museum, housed in one of Europe’s oldest medieval hospitals. In Antwerp we will feel Rubens’s presence in his palatial house and studio, and explore the Mayer van den Bergh Museum, home to a collection of northern Renaissance art assembled during the 19th century, including paintings by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. We will enjoy a special lecture on Bruegel the Elder, as 2019 marks 450 years since the artist’s death. This tour will be led by Rupert Dickens, an art historian specialising in Dutch and Flemish art. Rupert studied art history at Birkbeck, University of London, before gaining a Masters degree in Dutch Golden Age Studies at UCL. Previously a BBC journalist for more than 20 years, Rupert is now a guide lecturer at the Wallace Collection.
Call:
01223 841055
to make an enquiry, or email: sales@aceculturaltours.co.uk
Call:
01223 841055
to make an enquiry, or email: sales@aceculturaltours.co.uk
A r t To u r s C o l l e c t i o n
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A R T N O U V E A U IN B E L G I U M 5 - 1 0 S E P T E M B E R , 2 0 1 9 | ÂŁ 1 6 9 5 | with Christopher Bourne
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uring our foray into the Belgian capital of Brussels and a short excursion to the nearby city of Antwerp, we will examine the Art Nouveau style as it was interpreted by a group of avant-garde Belgian designers between 1890 and 1914.
Our tour will feature special access to the interiors of buildings including the exceptional Van Eetvelde, Solvay and Max Hallet houses by Victor Horta. We will also visit the Winter Garden at St Ursula’s School, with its magnificent stained glass and original furniture. The Art Nouveau movement started as a protest by young designers against the revivalist styles of the 19th century, and developed into a distinctive style of architecture and applied arts that, briefly, was all the rage in Europe, before being swept away by the First World War. Inspired by writers including Wilde, Proust and Huysmans and by art movements including Symbolism, Japonisme and Arts & Crafts, the movement was financed by
nouveau-riche industrialists. Young designers made the most of technological advances to create the dazzlingly opulent style that still astonishes us today. We will also see how the Art Nouveau style was superseded by the more austere, streamlined Art Deco style after 1914, exploring exceptional examples of the early Art Deco style of architecture, influenced by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Frank Lloyd Wright. We will enjoy private guided tours of the interiors of Art Nouveau buildings not normally open to the public. Christopher Bourne, an expert on the art and architecture of Belgium, will lead this tour. Christopher lived in Brussels for 15 years, working as an architectural tour guide. He has translated several books on Art Nouveau, and has given talks on architecture and design to a groups in Belgium, France and the UK.
A r t To u r s C o l l e c t i o n
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ART TREASURES OF COPENHAGEN AND SJÆLLAND
2 3 - 2 9 S E P T E M B E R , 2 0 1 9 | £ 2 7 9 5 | with Lars Tharp
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openhagen, founded by Bishop Absalon in 1167, is today a vibrant but relaxed capital brimming with museums and galleries. Yet the city and surrounding area of Zealand – or, in Danish, Sjælland – tell a far reaching story of many different kinds of creators, from artists and authors to ship builders and architects, alongside the rich and varied communities that gave rise to them.
We will explore artistic and historical collections in Copenhagen’s 18th century Prince’s Palace, home to artefacts from across Danish history as well as many international exhibitions. Our tour seeks to explore the diverse artistic and historical treasures of this part of Denmark. We will begin with explorations in and near the historical capital itself, including the Statens Museum for Kunst, whose roots stretch back to the 16th century private collection of King Christian II.
This is complemented later in our tour by visits to the splendid Frederiksborg Castle, Thorvaldsen Museum (with its particular focus on neoclassical sculpture) and Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. As a counterpoint to the indoor galleries, the spectacular open-air Frilandsmuseet will transport us back in time to the world of rural Denmark: its many original buildings showcase the homes and businesses of its inhabitants, from thatched farmhouses and windmills to poorhouses and manors. Lars Tharp is a Danish-born art historian, lecturer and broadcaster, particularly well known for his work on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow. A former Director of the Foundling Museum, Lars is a ceramics specialist who has curated or overseen exhibitions at the York Art Gallery and the Foundling Museum.
Call:
01223 841055
to make an enquiry, or email: sales@aceculturaltours.co.uk
Call:
01223 841055
to make an enquiry, or email: sales@aceculturaltours.co.uk
A r t To u r s C o l l e c t i o n
17
ART ON THE CÔTE D’AZUR 1 6 - 2 3 S E P T E M B E R , 2 0 1 9 | £ 2 4 7 5 | with Juliet Heslewood
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onet painted some 40 landscapes in Antibes, while Signac built a house in St Tropez, soon to be followed by Matisse and his fellow ‘Fauves’, Bonnard and Chagall. Renoir was resident in Cagnes from 1907 until his death in 1919, and Picasso spent the last four decades of his life amidst the glorious Mediterranean landscape. During our week in Nice and its environs we will consider the lasting legacy of this panoply of brilliant artists, as well as architectural delights ranging from the Baroque to the Belle Epoque.
From the late 19th century onwards the vivid colours of the Côte d’Azur, not to mention the region’s enchanting architecture and the mildest of climates, captivated a succession of Europe’s leading artists. A number of these artists have museums dedicated to them, amongst which are the Musée Matisse, Musée Jean Cocteau and Musée Chagall. The latter is home to the 12
great paintings that make up the Biblical Message. The great strengths of the Musée de l’Annonciade in St Tropez are Signac and the neo-Impressionists, Bonnard and the Nabis, and Matisse and the Fauves. Above the walled village of St Paul de Vence (itself crowned by Rodin’s Thinker) lies the Fondation Maeght, its pine-wooded grounds adorned with work by Giacometti, Calder and Miró. The foundation possesses one of Europe’s most important collections of 20th century painting, drawing and sculpture: Bonnard, Braque, Chagall and Léger are all represented. Juliet Heslewood studied History of Art at London University. She lived in France for nearly thirty years where she devised and led study tours in six different regions. Her MA at Toulouse University was in English Literature. She has written many books including fiction, folklore and art history.
A r t To u r s C o l l e c t i o n
THE GREAT SPANISH MASTERS:
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FROM EL GRECO TO SOROLLA & PICASSO
1 - 8 O C T O B E R , 2 0 1 9 | £ 2 1 7 5 | with Peter Higginson
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rom the cobbled streets of sundrenched Toledo to the artistic metropolis of Madrid, we will immerse ourselves in UNESCO World Heritage sites, see hidden artworks displayed in the churches for which they were made, and delve into international collections that reveal works by El Greco, Sorolla, Velázquez and Picasso.
We begin in El Greco’s adopted town of Toledo, where the Greek artist settled in 1577. During the tour, we will see his most important works, including The Burial of the Count of Orgaz and The Miracle of St Ildefonso. We journey twice through Madrid’s magnificent Museo del Prado taking in 16th and 17th century works by El Greco, Velázquez, Murillo and Zurbarán before returning for the superlative still life works of Luis Meléndez and the collection of Francisco de Goya.
Turning to more recent centuries, we will visit the house, studio and gardens of Spain’s greatest Impressionist painter, Joaquín Sorolla. A series of less well-known galleries in the capital allows us to view Sorolla’s works in the context of 19th century Spanish painters. We will end our time in Madrid in the vast halls of the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, where Picasso’s Guernica holds pride of place. Peter Higginson gained his PhD at the University of Southampton. He has taught numerous university courses abroad in Rome, Florence, Venice, Paris, Madrid and Barcelona, and is a currently consultant lecturer at Christie’s Education, London. Peter specialises in the art and culture of early modern Europe, and the Modern period.
Call:
01223 841055
to make an enquiry, or email: sales@aceculturaltours.co.uk
AC E C U LT U R A L TO U RS
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