DFAS (Decorative Fine Arts Society)
As our founder said, "Above all, DFAS must be fun." So why not attend a stimulating art lecture while experiencing the joy of sharing it with others? Bring a friend or make friends there!
DFAS exists to stimulate enjoyment of the arts through a series of illustrated lectures and other activities delivered in English by leading British and European speakers. All of the speakers are experts in their own field especially brought in to address the DFAS audience. DFAS is associated with NADFAS, the National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies in the U.K., linking us to an international membership of over 90,000 art lovers. Lectures are held the first or second Tuesday of the month. The annual subscription is €55 (€90 for a couple). New members and guests are always welcome. For more information about DFAS, visit www.dfas.nl. Individual lectures may be attended for €10.
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010
Houses and Gardens of the Bordeaux Region
Helen McCabe
Helen McCabe read French at university and studied history of art and architecture at the École du Louvre in Paris. She has always particularly loved those parts of France with close historic links with England, - namely Normandy and the Bordeaux region (Aquitaine).
She grew up in Cornwall and has now returned to live in her childhood home. She was commissioned to write a book on the house and Gardens of Cornwall.
This lecture will cover the wide range of architecture from medieval castles, 16th and 17th century chateaux, elegant 18th century townhouses and the famous wine chateaux themselves to quirky seaside villas all of which reflect the culture of Aquitaine.
Three gardens will also be examined all showing just how sophisticated beautiful French gardens can be.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
The Splendours of North Africa, - Roman and Islamic Art of Libya, Tunisia and Morocco
Christopher Bradley
Mr. Bradley is an expert in the history and culture of the Middle East and North Africa. As a professional tour guide and lecturer he has led groups throughout Africa, the Middle East and Asia. He has written extensively on Arabia and is the author of The Discovery Guide to Yemen, Insight Guide to the Silk Road and the Berlitz Guide to Libya.
As a photographer he has pictures represented by four photographic libraries. He has a broad range of lecturing experience, including to the Royal Geographical Society and the Royal Institute of British Architects.
As a film producer and cameraman he has made documentaries for the BBC, National Geographic TV and Channel 4.
The wealth of Ancient Roman is widely evident in North Africa's magnificent forgotten cities and villas with fabulous mosaics, while the ports handling the attendant Trans-Saharan trade, Leptis Magna, Cyrene, Oea, Sabratha and Carthage, became so powerful that a Libyan, Septimius Severus, even became Emperor in 193 AD.
The Romans were replaced by the Byzantines, who introduced their own Christian–themed mosaics into North Africa.
Islam quickly swept in from Arabia bringing a new architecture and decoration, and has remained ever since.
In this lecture we will plunder the wealth of the Bardo and Tripoli museums.
Tuesday, April 13th, 2010
The History of the Long Case Clock
Dr. Colin Lattimore, OBE
Dr. Lattimore, a medical practitioner trained at University College Hospital, London has had a career in public health medicine but for many years he has also had a wide interest in the English decorative and applied fine arts. He has lectured extensively for extra mural boards of various universities and written several books on a variety of subjects including silver, porcelain, heraldry and watercolours.
However his special interest is in the field of clocks and watches. He is a liveryman and past master of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers and is a past president of the British Horological Institute and chairman of the Friends of the Clockmakers’ Museum in the City of London. He is an honorary keeper of locks and watches at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.
He was appointed Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for services to English decorative and applied fine arts and to the community in Cambridge.
The lecture starts with a review of early timekeepers from sundials onwards. This is followed by the introduction of mechanical timekeeping using a weight driven mechanism. The development is traced through turret clocks and lantern clocks to the long case clock which was in fashion for about 180 years from 1660 – 1840, then coming back into fashion as an antique in the 20th century.
The story involves the artistic, mechanical, social and commercial aspects. It relates the development to the business and social needs of
the period.
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