While he was Director of the National Gallery, the art historian Neil MacGregor said that 'art is not a luxury, but a necessity, a proper part of daily life'. Art is good for the eyes, enriches the soul, and in these trying times visual imagery is more important than ever. Over on my social media, … Continue reading #AnArtworkADay – Week 1

If you thought staying at home would make it difficult to explore museums and art galleries, then think again! A whole host of museums, galleries and heritage sites all over the world have made virtual tours available online. This means you can enjoy your fix of art and culture, all from the comfort of your … Continue reading Exploring Museums from Home

I'm very sad to be sharing the below update about my upcoming talks and one of my tours. Unfortunately, due to the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Brighton Museums are closed until further notice. This means my talks at the Royal Pavilion, taking place on April 2 and April 23  respectively, are no longer going ahead … Continue reading Of Talks and Tours

A quick reminder that my next talk, 'Many Painters in Canton: Chinese Export Paintings at the Royal Pavilion', takes place at 12pm on Thursday 5 March. In this talk, I'll be exploring two sets of Chinese export paintings acquired by Brighton Museums in the 1980s. These were intended for display the Royal Pavilion, and we're … Continue reading Exploring Chinese Export Paintings – upcoming talk

This announcement has spent several months in the planning stages, so I am now very excited to share details of my new Walking Tours. I am currently offering detailed guided tours of Lewes, the historic county town of Sussex. On my lively and informative Lewes Walking Tour, we will explore some of the historic sites, … Continue reading Walking Tours

I'm very pleased to share details of some of my upcoming talks. The below events are part of the Pavilion Tales series at the Royal Pavilion.  5 March 2020: Many painters in Canton: Exploring Chinese Export Paintings at the Royal Pavilion In the mid-1980s, two sets of Chinese export paintings were acquired for display in the … Continue reading Paintings, Princes and Pop: Upcoming Talks

I recently gave a talk at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton investigating the relationship between science, art, and exploration during George IV's lifetime. The talk was inspired by one of the globes on display in the King's Apartments, which included a depiction of Australia - with most detail concentrated on its coastline. Read on below … Continue reading Waltzing Matilda: Science, Art & Exploration in the late Georgian period

In September 2019, over 120 items returned to the Royal Pavilion in Brighton, on loan from the Royal Collection. These items are part of the exhibition, 'A Prince's Treasure: From Buckingham Palace to the Royal Pavilion'. For many of these items it is the first time they have been seen in their original setting since … Continue reading Of Palaces and Princes: The Royal Collection in Brighton

On 3 September I gave a short talk about Pablo Picasso at Brighton Museum & Art Gallery. Here, I discussed the artist's visit to Farley Farm House at Muddles Green, nr Chiddingly in East Sussex, the home of the artist and critic Roland Penrose and the photojournalist Lee Miller. I also explored a selection of … Continue reading Everything you can imagine is real: Pablo Picasso’s visit to Sussex