The Master, Wardens and Court of Assistants invite all Arts Scholars to attend these important ceremonies to admit our new Freemen. Those new Freemen being admitted will be asked to take an Oath of Allegiance and give a short 2-minute vignette of who they are and their arts interests.

The Pocket Lunch is an opportunity for Members to present a small work of art for discussion with fellow Arts Scholars. Traditionally, when we met for an actual lunch, the size of the object was restricted to what you could fit into your pocket (hence the name). However, online Pocket Lunches allow for larger objects to be presented if you so wish ........ and your own choice of menu for lunch as well!

Based on research for his book ‘A Marvel to Behold’, Gold and Silver at the Court of Henry VIII, Arts Scholar Tim Schroder lecture explores a little-known part of the Tudor monarch’s collecting activities. In the closely guarded ‘palace within a palace’, in the privy apartments at Whitehall Palace, a collection of precious and jewelled works of art was formed that amounted to one of the first Kunstkammers or Schatzkammers of early modern Europe.

"The Obsession of Collection" - A series of short lectures/vignettes on collections, collectors and the strange obsession that overtakes some collectors. Amongst those presenting are: Sonya Zuckerman on her obsession with all things Japanese; Gaby Robertshaw on David Hockney; Jonathan Gestetner on the secrets of his peep shows and Billy King-Harman on his interest in the engravings of Arthur Briscoe.

Given by Arts Scholar Ian Swankie, this lecture is about the works that have sold for over $100 million together with the buyers and sellers, the stories behind the works and the reasons for changing hands, Ian will try to answer the question “Are they really worth hundreds of millions of pounds?”

The Fabergé firm went well beyond supplying Easter gifts to the last empresses of Russia to become an enduring symbol for the fallen house of the Romanovs. Arts Scholar Cynthia Coleman Sparke will show us how they did it. Join us online as we ‘zoom' through the historic context, materials and techniques that contributed to the firm’s reputation as well as the genius of Carl Fabergé as a business visionary.

Two thousand years ago “Io Saturnalia!” rather than, “Merry Christmas” was the seasonal greeting that would have chimed out across most of Europe. The Roman mid-winter festival of misrule has heavily influenced many Christmas traditions – including the time of year we celebrate. Arts Scholar Dr Sam Moorhead explores the Saturnalia, tracing its influence on the dating of the Christian festival, and exploring the ‘pagan’ origins of festive traditions, such as gift-giving.

A Dickens Christmas, plum pudding, mince pies and goose. This is seen as the most English of traditions but it can’t all have started in Victorian London, can it? We will go on a journey around the English Christmas table and find out what brought all these wonderful festive items together. Good cheer all the way! This will be Zoom presentation by Arts Scholar and renowned social historian, Marc Meltonville .

The Arts Scholars are joining with another City institution, Davy’s wine merchants,
to provide members an opportunity to taste some great French wines in a guided
tasting in the comfort of their own homes. Members will order directly from Davy’s, using the link below, where details of the six half bottles of superior wine, including a 2018 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, that will be sent to you by courier can be found. You will receive your case about a week before the event.

Following 2 very successful and enjoyable ‘virtual’ Pocket Lunches, the Master will host the next Pocket Lunch by Zoom at midday on Thursday 22nd October. So far the Pocket Lunches have starred a Mexican Calima figure, a nutmeg grater, a Mongol belt cup, a Pratt ware mug, one of the earliest issued military gold medals and some stolen American street signs … amongst many other very interesting objects of value and/or history.