The flower in fine and decorative art
Weekend-long art history and theory course
12 October 2019 10am - 5pm13 October 2019 10am - 5pm
Wolfson British Academy Room, Burlington Gardens, Royal Academy of Arts
£420. Includes all materials, light refreshments and a wine reception at the end of day one.
Terms and conditions
Explore the hidden meanings and symbolic uses of flowers in fine and decorative arts of the 17th and 18th centuries.
Mary Moser (1744-1819), one of the only two female founding members of the Royal Academy in London, was a flower painter. Moser's Spring and Summer feature among many more paintings and drawings of flowers by Academicians and other artists in the Royal Academy Collection which still holds an array of paintings, historic books, prints and drawings of plants, flowers and botanical wonders of the natural world.
Moser’s work demonstrates she was familiar with a broad tradition of mainstream floral painting in European art, coming particularly from the Netherlands during the Baroque period when the taste for exotic, imported flowers was at its height. Fortunes were made and lost trading tulips and other bulbs on the commercial market, and tulips are frequently depicted in both fine and decorative arts as symbols of wealth, power and status.
Developing independently from Europe, although influencing European traditions in many ways, is the long-standing tradition of flower painting which can be found in Asian art. It was collected by Europeans such as Sir Hans Sloane, whose prints formed part of the early British Museum. The combination of the European tradition of floral art and the importation of prints and flowers from Asia and Asia Minor into Europe became an important element in decorative art of the 17th and 18th centuries, including textiles, ceramics, and the genre of ‘floral marquetry’ in high-end European furniture.
From Pierre Gole, the favourite ébéniste of Louis XIV, to Jean-François Oeben, one of the greatest of furniture makers in the reign of Louis XV, this course offers participants an insight into all three of these areas of art – European and Asian flower painting, as well as the role of flowers in the decorative arts.
Participants will be taught by experts across these diverse areas and the course also includes a visit to the galleries of the Wallace Collection, in London, to see objects and art works which showcase the power and beauty of the flower.
About the course
This course provides a unique opportunity to learn about how florals appear in both European and Asian art during the 17th and 18th centuries, both in the visual and decorative arts.
This course will be delivered in part through lectures and site visits, but will also include an opportunity for questions and discussion from participants.
Please note, participants are encouraged to take notes in each lecture as printed notes are at the discretion of each speaker.
This course is designed to both enable an historical overview for those new to the field, and to be relevant for those with prior art history knowledge who are keen to learn more from experts.
This course is suitable for enthusiastic beginners as well as those with previous knowledge who would like to develop their understanding further.
This course is for you if:
• You have a general interest in art history and would like a novel way to understand art history and theory
• You have an interest in the study of flora and would like to understand further how it has been depicted through art history
• You are interested in the relationships between Europe and Asia in the 17th and 18th centuries and would like to learn how they play out in art
• You would like to enrich your knowledge with an expert perspective and explore in detail the development of 17th and 18th century floral paintings
Minimum age 18
Please let us know if you have any accessibility needs.
The number of participants is strictly limited to enable detailed feedback from the course tutor.
£420
Saturday 12 – Sunday 13 October 2019
10am-5pm on both days
This course provides:
• Two days of expert-led lectures with the opportunity for questions and discussions
• The opportunity to learn and reflect within a peer group, with discussions facilitated by an expert in the field
• The opportunity to socialise and network with peers in a friendly environment
• A drinks reception at the end of the first day
• A certificate of participation upon course completion
About the tutor
Chantal Brotherton-Ratcliffe
Dr Chantal Brotherton-Ratcliffe graduated from the University of Edinburgh with an MA in History of Art, and completed her PhD at the Warburg Institute, University of London. She trained briefly as a paintings conservator, but her utter ignorance of chemistry drove her to the more forgiving embrace of art history. She has worked for 30 years at Sotheby’s Institute of Art, and for a number of institutions in London, as a lecturer teaching a wide range of topics within 15th, 16th and 17th-century European art. Her interest is in the approach of the traditional connoisseur, teaching the analysis of those stylistic features of a painting or work of art, that can sometimes tell us the identity of the artist, and when a painting is a copy, good or bad. An interest in historical techniques and materials is an integrated aspect of this approach.
Megan Aldrich
Megan Aldrich studied at Brown University in the United States and the University of Toronto, completing a PhD in architectural history in 1987. She began her career in the furniture department of the Victoria and Albert Museum, before joining Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London, where she taught the history of furniture and interiors for many years and was Academic Director from 2005 to 2014. She has lectured and published widely. Since 2016 she has been an independent scholar whose area of specialisation includes the Gothic Revival and referencing the past in architecture and design. She is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London and edits the journals Furniture History and the Decorative Arts Society Journal, and teaches the history of architecture and design in the Department of Continuing Education of Oxford University.
Our courses and classes programme
Our varied programme of short courses and classes provides an opportunity to explore subjects ranging from life drawing to the history of exhibitions and arts management, led by expert tutors and practising artists. These courses introduce traditional art-making processes, as well as perspectives on art history, theory and business.
Give this course as a gift
All of our courses can be purchased as a gift for a friend or family member – giving the gift of education and a remarkable experience. To arrange a personalised Gift Voucher, please contact Anna Pojer, Academic Programmes Manager, by calling 020 7300 5684 or email anna.pojer@royalacademy.org.uk