What'S oN - The Ashmolean Museum

What’s On 

April–June 2012

VISIONS MUGHAL INDIA 

OF 

The Collection of Howard Hodgkin 

2 February–22 April 2012 

Last 

CHance 

to SEE 

“ 

115 extraordinary images... 

simply exquisite 

” 

Times Higher Education Supplement 

“ 

the impressive collection 

explodes with untamed colour 

” 

The Guardian

How to book 

Exhibition Tickets 

Buy tickets at the Museum 

or book online: 

www.ashmolean.org/exhibitions/tickets 

To reserve tickets phone 01865 288 185 

Group bookings for Exhibitions 

T 01865 278 015 

E education.service@ashmus.ox.ac.uk 

Booking and paying for 

Lectures, Events and Activities 

Please visit our online shop: 

www.ashmolean.org/whatsonbooking 

If you don’t have internet access 

please call our enquiries line. 

General enquiries 

E education.service@ashmus.ox.ac.uk 

T 01865 278 015 

Concessions 

Concessionary prices are available to 

Friends of the Ashmolean, under-18s 

and 65-and-over, students, job-seekers. 

INformation 

Education Programmes 

For more information about the 

Ashmolean’s programmes for 

schools, young people and adult 

groups visit: 

www.ashmolean.org/education or email 

education.service@ashmus.ox.ac.uk 

EXHIBITIONS 4 

Take a Grand Tour on the high-seas of 

18th-century Europe 

EXHIBITION EVENTS 5 

Learn more about the fateful voyage of the 

‘Westmorland’ and her precious cargo 

Music & LATE NIGHTS 7 

Things to do after-hours 

GALLERY ACTIVITIES 9 

Get involved amongst the collections 

CALENDAR 10 

A quick guide to what’s on today 

FAMILIES 14 

Events and activities for children and young people 

NEW DISPLAYS 15 

A packed programme which includes the beauties 

and heroes of modern China; contemporary 

sculpture; and the only privately owned Vermeer 

Tours, TALKS & LECTURES 19 

Hear the experts and learn more about the 

permanent collections 

COURSES & WORKSHOPS 21 

Get hands-on experience and learn new skills 

Venue Key 

21 Gallery number 

EC Education Centre 

i Information Desk 

IC Ioannou Classics Centre 

Designed by Greg Jones, edited by Claire Parris 

Front cover: Portrait of Mademoiselle Claus, 

1868 by Edouard Manet 

© Department of Culture, Media and Sport, all 

rights reserved

EXHIBITIONS | 4 

The English Prize 

THE CAPTURE OF 

THE WESTMORLAND 

An episode of the Grand Tour 

17 May–27 August 2012 

Exhibition Galleries 59–61 

£9/£7 concessions 

The story of the ‘Westmorland’, 

an armed merchant ship sailing 

from Livorno to London in 

January 1779, is one of colourful 

18th-century personalities and 

modern detective work. Laden 

with works of art, books and 

antiquities collected by a cast 

of characters who included 

artists, aristocrats and dealers, 

the ‘Westmorland’ was captured 

by two French warships on 7 

January. Declared a ‘prize of 

war’, the majority of the precious 

cargo was acquired by King 

Carlos III of Spain who presented 

many of the items to the Royal 

Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid, 

while others were dispersed 

across museums in Spain, 

and ended up as far away as 

St Petersburg. 

Following an extraordinary 

research project begun in the 

1990s in the archives in Madrid, 

scholars have been able to trace 

the history and learn the fate 

of many of the items on 

board the ship. ‘The English 

Prize’ presents 140 of the 

objects which were on the 

‘Westmorland’ when it was 

captured. Highlights include 

portraits of two of the Grand 

Tourists by Pompeo Batoni; 

a group of amazingly fresh 

watercolours by a young 

John Robert Cozens; and 

portrait busts by Irish sculptor 

Christopher Hewetson. 

The exhibition also reveals 

details about the diverse group 

of travellers who had consigned 

their belongings to the ship. 

Among them we find the painter 

Allan Ramsay; a diplomat and 

art dealer, John Udny; and such 

a high ranking aristocrat as the 

Duke of Gloucester, brother of 

King George III. 

‘The English Prize’ is a vivid 

recreation of the Grand Tour and 

events on the high seas of 18thcentury 

Europe. 

Organised with the Yale Center for 

British Art, New Haven; the Paul 

Mellon Centre for Studies in British 

Art, London; in association with the 

Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San 

Fernando, Madrid. ‘The English Prize’ 

will open at Yale on 4 October 2012. 

Supported by: 

Pictet & Cie 

Parmigiano Reggiano 

The Elizabeth Cayzer Charitable Trust 

Mr & Mrs Geoffrey de Jager 

The Friends of the Ashmolean 

Montage of ‘Portrait of an Unknown 

Man‘, anonymous artist and ‘The Capture 

of the Amazone’ by Robert Dodd 

© Museo del la Real Academia de Bellas 

Artes de San Fernando, Madrid 

© National Maritime Museum, London 

Book now 

www.ashmolean.org/exhibitions/tickets 

Catalogue £45 (£40 with purchase of 

exhibition ticket) available at the Ashmolean 

Shop or online at www.ashmolean.org/shop

5 | EXHIBITION EVENTS 

We are grateful to the Elizabeth Cayzer Trust 

for supporting the exhibition events programme 

Exhibition Tours 

60 Wednesdays, 3–3.45pm 

(Wed 23 May–Wed 22 Aug) 

An introduction to the highlights 

of the exhibition with members 

of the Ashmolean Gallery 

Lecturer team. Free with price of 

admission, no booking required. 

Literature and the Grand Tour 

With Dr Karin Kukkonen, University 

of Oxford 

60 Thur 24 May, 4–4.45pm 

& Thur 21 Jun, 11–11.45am 

Discover what Grand Tourists 

read and how the Grand Tour 

is reflected in literature of 

the period. Free, no booking 

required. 

British Sign Language 

Interpreted Tour 

21 Fri 22 Jun, 10.30–12pm 

A tour of the special exhibition. 

To book contact: Jude Barrett 

jude.barrett@ashmus.ox.ac.uk 

01865 288 078 

Session for Visually 

Impaired People 

21 Fri 29 Jun, 10.30–12pm 

A visit to the special exhibition. 

To book contact: Jude Barrett 

jude.barrett@ashmus.ox.ac.uk 

01865 288 078 

Print Room Talk 

British artists travel: a Grand 

Tour through works of art on 

paper 

With Dr Caroline Palmer, Acting 

Print Room Supervisor 

21 Tue 29 May, 4.45–5.45pm 

The talk is free with a suggested 

donation of £5. Places limited 

to 10. To book contact: 

Janet Burchell: education. 

service@ashmus.ox.ac.uk 

01865 278 015 

Lectures 

Uncovering the 

‘Westmorland’, step by step 

With Prof José María Luzón Nogué, 

Real Academia de Bellas Artes, 

Madrid 

HLT Thur 31 May, 2–3pm 

We can reconstruct the 

extraordinary story of the 

‘Westmorland’ and its cargo 

thanks to fascinating detective 

work that began in the 1990s. In 

this lecture, Prof Luzón, who led 

the original research project, will 

take you on the journey which 

led to the rediscovery of the 

ship. Free, no booking required, 

spaces limited. 

Marble Mania: why was 

antique sculpture so 

desirable? 

With Dr Ruth Guilding, art 

historian and curator 

HLT Wed 20 Jun, 2–3pm 

The ‘Westmorland’s’ cargo 

included 23 crates of marble 

statues, and the ship was one 

of many which brought the 

souvenirs of British travellers 

back to London in the 1770s. 

Dr Guilding explores the way 

that antique sculpture was 

imagined, understood and used 

by collectors in England at the 

time. Free, no booking required, 

spaces limited. 

Detail of ‘Lake Albano 

from Palazzuolo’, 1777–78 

John Robert Cozens 

© Real Academia de Bellas 

Artes de San Fernando, 

Gabinete de Dibujos, Madrid 

Detail of ‘A group 

sketched at Rome’, 1782, 

Thomas Rowlandson

EXHIBITION EVENTS | 6 

Public study day 

The Experience of Italy: 

Travel, Collecting and the 

Grand Tour 

HLT Fri 8 Jun, 10am–5pm 

This special one-day event looks 

at the cultural context of the 

‘Westmorland’ and its story. As 

a rare time-capsule, the ship can 

help us uncover the concerns 

and interests of British tourists, 

collectors and artists, from 

their musical education to their 

fascination with volcanoes and 

excavations. Over the day, six 

distinguished speakers deliver 

lectures with the opportunity 

to ask questions and discuss 

the varied topics. Free, spaces 

limited, to book contact: 

education.service@ashmus. 

ox.ac.uk 01865 278 015 

Speakers and their topics: 

The ‘Westmorland’ and the 

Mechanics of the Grand Tour 

in the 1770s 

With Jonathan Yarker, 

University of Cambridge 

Vases and Volcanoes: 

Sir William Hamilton and 

Collecting for Posterity 

With Dr Kim Sloan, British Museum 

Enjoying the Souvenirs of 

Travel: Art and Antiquities 

at Home 

With Dr Clare Hornsby, author 

of ‘Digging and Dealing in 18thcentury 

Rome’ 

Music and the Musical 

Outcomes of the Grand Tour 

With Roderick Swanston, former 

Professor, Royal College of Music 

Women at Grips with the 

Grand Tour: Adventure, 

Authority and Anomaly 

With Dr Chloe Chard, 

independent scholar 

British artists in Rome 

With Dr Martin Postle, Paul Mellon 

Center for Studies in British Art 

Evening EVENT 

A Taste of the Grand Tour 

Dining Room Wed 27 Jun, 

6.30–8pm 

Amongst the items on board 

the ‘Westmorland’ when it was 

captured were precious rounds 

of Parmesan cheese. Enjoy 

matching Italian wines with the 

world famous luxury products of 

northern Italy – Parma Ham and 

Parmigiano Reggiano. £20/£18 

concessions, booking essential. 

Supported by 

Book now 

www.ashmolean.org/ 

whatsonbooking

7 | MUSIC 

Art and Opera 

44 Sat 5 May, 2–3pm 

With Soprano Veronica Franyutti 

A chance to enjoy the Ashmolean collections 

with a musical accompaniment. To compliment 

the Museum’s new Egypt and Nubia galleries, 

Veronica sings three arias for Cleopatra from 

Handel’s Julio Cesare. Following a brief interval you 

can hear two arias from Handel’s Semele, followed 

by a six-piece song cycle by 20th-century composer 

Francis Poulenc. Free, no booking required, 

donations welcome. 

OSJ Proms 

Atrium Wed 6 Jun, 7.30–9.30pm 

(doors open 7pm) £10–£30 

Oxford Jazz Festival 

Rooftop Thur 5 April, 7.30–9.30pm 

With the Cecilia Stalin Quartet 

The Ashmolean is delighted to launch the 2012 

Oxford Jazz Festival and to welcome renowned 

artist Cecilia Stalin and her Quartet. Cecilia has 

performed in leading jazz clubs in her native 

Sweden and at prestigious venues in London such 

as Ronnie Scotts, the Roundhouse and the Royal 

Festival Hall. Her music explores different genres, 

in a mixture of hip-hop, nu-jazz, and bop/swing. 

Enjoy the performance in the Ashmolean’s rooftop 

restaurant with cocktails and tapas from the new 

sharing-menu. Tickets £10 (entry only), booking 

recommended. 

For more information, including videos and 

sound tracks, and to purchase tickets, visit 

www.oxfordjazzfestival.com 

Book now 

www.oxfordplayhouse.com 

01865 305 305 

OSJ Ashmolean Voices 

Holst: 

Evening Watch 

Elgar: 

The Showers 

Stanford: 

The Blue Bird 

Vaugh Williams: 

Five Shakespeare songs 

Tippet: 

Five spirituals from A Child 

of Our Time 

Oremi and Magwani M’pulele: 

Two African folk songs 

OSJ Ensemble 

Walton: 

Façade 

Book now 

www.osj.org.uk 

0845 680 1926 

Detail of The Messiah Violin 

Antonio Stradivari, 1716

Steven Brooks Photography 

LATE NIGHTS | 8 

Museums at Night 2012 

The Grand Tour 

Fri 18 May, 6–9pm 

During Museums at Night 2012 

the Ashmolean gives you the 

chance to take your own grand 

tour and see ‘The English Prize’ 

exhibition after hours. Pick up a 

special passport and travel the 

world through the Museum’s 

collections with family trails and 

tours from our adventurous 

curators. Museum admission 

free; exhibition tickets: £9/£7; 

free to under-18s and University 

of Oxford students. 

Ashmolean Late 

Café Fri 18 May, 9.30pm–1am 

As part of our Grand Tour 

season, the Notting Hill Arts 

Club brings you a line-up of 

new DJs and bands. Acts to be 

announced; tickets on sale from 

late April; for more information 

follow ‘Ashmolean Late Nights’ 

on Twitter and Facebook. 

Evenings on the ‘Rooftop’ 

Rooftop Thur & Fri Evenings, 

from 5 Apr, 5–9.30pm 

This Easter the Ashmolean 

launches a terrace-bar and 

lounge where you can spend 

the warmer evenings. A sharing 

menu with tapas and charcuterie, 

and a range of cocktails are 

available to enjoy on comfy 

sofas and giant beanbags. 

Come along and watch the 

sunset over Oxford. 

T 01865 553 823 

E ashmolean@benugo.com 

In association with

9 | GALLERY ACTIVITIES 

The Soldiers of Oxfordshire Trust 

Atrium Sat 12 May, 10am–4.30pm 

The Soldiers of Oxfordshire Trust (SOFO) are 

building a new museum at Woodstock. They will 

be on hand to tell you about this exciting project 

and Oxfordshire’s regimental history, with objecthandling 

and family activities. Free, no booking 

necessary. 

Hands-On Coins 

7 Saturdays, 11.30–3.30pm 

Handle historical coins from different times and 

places, with the help of our volunteer team. Free, 

no booking necessary. 

Japanese Tea Ceremony 

21 Sun 1 Apr; Tue 15 May; 

Wed 20 Jun: 1–2pm & 3–4pm 

An introduction to the art of tea in 

Japan, with a demonstration by Kyoko 

Regan and a tour of the Ashmolean’s 

Japanese tea house. £6.50/£6 

concessions (inc. tea and sweets), 

booking essential. 

Sponsored by 

Coin and Archaeological Identification 

Scheme 

1 Wed 4 Apr; 2 May; 6 Jun: 12–4pm 

A monthly identification service for archaeological 

objects and coins, run jointly with the Portable 

Antiquities Scheme. Bring along your finds. 

Free, no booking necessary. 

Book now 

www.ashmolean.org/whatsonbooking 

© John Cairns Photography, 2012 

Byzantine coin of 

Justinian, AD527-565 

Roman Imperial coin 

with bust of Marcus 

Aurelius, AD151–2 

Henry VII 

Groat,1485–1509

Venues: 21 Gallery number EC Education Centre 

HLT Headley Lecture Theatre T Taylorian Lecture Theatre 

CALENDAR | 10 

EVERY TUESDAY – SUNDAY 

2.15–2.45pm 21 FREE ‘A closer look’ tour 

EVERY SATURDAY 

11am–12pm 21 FREE Saturday Highlights Tour 

sun 1 apr 

1–2pm & 3–4pm Gallery Activity 36 £6.50/£6 


TUE 3 Apr 

1–4pm Family Activity EC FREE Olympic Sculpture 

1.15–2pm Gallery Talk 21 FREE Warriors 

WED 4 Apr 

12–4pm Gallery Activity 1 FREE 

Coin & Archaeological Identification Scheme 

1–4pm Family Activity EC FREE Olympic Sculpture 

1.15–2pm Gallery Talk 21 FREE Impressionism 

3–3.45pm ‘Visions of Mughal India’ Exhibition 

Tour 60 FREE 

THUR 5 Apr 

1.15–2pm Gallery Talk 21 FREE 

Greek sculpture and the Classical period 

3–3.45pm Gallery Talk 21 FREE Behind-the 

scenes of the Cast Gallery 

7.30–9.30pm Oxford Jazz Festival Rooftop £10 

The Cecilia Stalin Quartet 

SAT 7 Apr 

11.30am–3.30pm Gallery Activity 7 FREE 


3–3.45pm Gallery Talk 21 FREE Behind-thescenes 

of the Cast Gallery 

mon 9 apr 

11–4pm Family Activity EC FREE Ancient Egypt 


TUE 10 Apr 


Symbols in western art 

WED 11 Apr 

1.15–2pm Gallery Talk 21 FREE Early Italian art 

3–3.45pm ‘Visions of Mughal India’ Exhibition Tour 

60 FREE 

THUR 12 Apr 

1.15–2pm Gallery Talk 21 FREE Costume in art 



5–5.45pm Twilight Tour 21 FREE Arundel and 

the Arundel Marbles 

FRI 13 Apr 

11–12pm Gallery Talk 21 FREE 

Qur’an and Islamic Calligraphy 


The Reading and Writing Gallery 

SAT 14 Apr 



1–4pm Family Activity EC FREE 

3–3.45pm Gallery Talk 21 FREE 

Behind-the-scenes of the Cast Gallery 

TUE 17 APR 

1.15–2pm Gallery Talk 21 FREE 19th-century art 

WED 18 APR 

1–4pm Family Activity EC FREE Animals of Egypt 


Saints and their symbols 

3–3.45pm ‘Visions of Mughal India’ Exhibition 

Tour 61 FREE 

THUR 19 APR 

11–12pm Exhibition Tour 60 Visions of Mughal 

India curator-led tour 


Introduction to glass 

2–4pm Family Activity EC FREE Animals of Egypt 



FRI 20 Apr 

1–2pm Gallery Talk 21 FREE Sculpture and 

Sport: an introduction to the special display 


The Grand Tour: England and Italy 

SAT 21 apr 





TUE 24 apr 


Paintings on pottery 

WED 25 apr 

1.15–2pm Gallery Talk 21 FREE ‘Handul of silver’ 

THUR 26 apr 


17th-century painting in Holland 


Behind-the-scenes of the Cast Gallery

11 | CALENDAR 

Venues: 21 Gallery number EC Education Centre 

HLT Headley Lecture Theatre T Taylorian Lecture Theatre 





THUR 26 apr 

5–5.45pm Twilight Tour 21 FREE 

The Textiles Gallery 

FRI 27 apr 


The 20th-Century Gallery 

SAT 28 apr 



1–4pm Family Activity EC FREE Pick and Mix 



TUE 1 may 

1.15–2pm Gallery Talk 21 FREE Stories behind 

the pictures 

WED 2 may 



1.15–2pm Gallery Talk 21 FREE Turner & Palmer 

THUR 3 may 

1.15–2pm Gallery Talk 21 FREE Maiolica: 

hidden stories 



FRI 4 May 




Introduction to the Ancient Near East 


SAT 5 May 



2–3pm Gallery Activity Atrium FREE Art & Opera 



mon 7 may 

11–4pm Family Activity EC FREE Kings & Queens 


TUE 8 may 


Introduction to the Egypt & Nubia Galleries 

WED 9 may 

1.15–2pm Gallery Talk 21 FREE Watches – jewel 

or machine? 

THUR 10 may 


The human image 





Oxford and the Pre-Raphaelites 

FRI 11 may 


Bronze in the ancient world 


SAT 12 may 

10am–4.30pm Gallery Activity Atrium FREE 

The Soldiers of Oxfordshire Trust 




The Art of Soldiering 



TUE 15 may 




Silver and dining 

WED 16 may 


Narrative from early sculpture 

THUR 17 may 

1.15–2pm Gallery Talk 21 FREE The colour blue 

2–4pm Family Activity EC FREE Rainbow 



FRI 18 may 


The foundation of western drama 

6–9pm Special Event: Museums at Night 2012 

9.30pm–1am Café Ashmolean Late

Book now www.ashmolean.org/whatsonbooking T 01865 278 015 

CALENDAR | 12 

SAT 19 may 





SUN 20 may 

11–12pm Exhibition Tour 60 FREE 


TUE 22 may 

1.15–2pm Gallery Talk 21 FREE Ceramic flowers 

WED 23 may 

1.15–2pm Gallery Talk 21 FREE 17th-century 

Dutch still life 

3–3.45pm ‘The English Prize’ Exhibition Tour 60 

FREE 

THUR 24 may 


Shakespeare’s world 


Behind-the scenes of the Cast Gallery 


FREE Literature and the Grand Tour 


The story of British coinage 

FRI 25 may 


The 18th-century Grand Tour 

SAT 26 may 





TUE 29 may 

1.15–2pm Gallery Talk 21 FREE Symbols 

4–4.45 21 FREE Western Art Print Room talk: 

British artists travel: a Grand Tour through works 

on paper 

WED 30 may 


Musical instruments 

Wed 3o May 


FREE 

5.30–6.30pm Lecture Wolfson College FREE 

A short prehistory of the Persian Gulf 

THUR 31 may 

1.15–2pm Gallery Talk 21 FREE Pilgrims’ stories 

2–3pm Lecture HLT FREE 

Uncovering the Westmorland, step-by-step 



FRI 1 jun 




Portraiture in western painting 

SAT 2 jun 





wed 6 jun 




Half-Term: Indian Summer 


Historia painting and sculpture 


FREE 

7–9pm Special Event Atrium £10–£30 OSJ Proms 

THUR 7 jun 




A peep behind the scenes 



FRI 8 jun 

10am–5pm Exhibition Study Day HLT FREE 

The Experience of Italy: Travel, Collecting and 

the Grand Tour 




Oak as furniture and in art 

SAT 9 jun 





TUE 12 jun 


An 18th-century tour

13 | CALENDAR 

Book now www.ashmolean.org/whatsonbooking T 01865 278 015 





WED 13 jun 


Camille Pissarro and his friends 


FREE 

THUR 14 jun 


Ladies of fashion – beauty aids 




Introduction to the ancient Near East 

FRI 15 jun 


Women in western painting 

SAT 16 jun 




Who were the Anglo-Saxons? 



SUN 17 jun 

11–12pm Exhibition Tour 60 FREE 


TUE 19 jun 

1.15–2pm Gallery Talk 21 FREE Time for tea 

WED 20 jun 



1.15–2pm Gallery Talk 21 FREE Ancient jewellery 

2–3pm Lecture HLT FREE Marble Mania: why 

was antique sculpture so desirable? 


FREE 

THUR 21 jun 

11–11.45am ‘The English Prize’ Exhibition Tour 

60 FREE Literature and the Grand Tour 

1.15–2pm Gallery Talk 21 FREE The Bull of Minos 

5–5.45pm Twilight Tour 21 FREE Islamic ceramics 



FRI 22 jun 

10.30–12pm British Sign Language Interpreted 

Tour 21 FREE ‘The English Prize’ Exhibition 


The Twentieth-Century Gallery 

2–4pm Lecture HLT £8/£7 The Medieval Forest 

SAT 23 jun 





tue 26 Jun 


Bags, belts and purses 

wed 27 jun 




FREE 

6.30–8pm Special Event Dining Room £20 

A Taste of the Grand Tour: cheese & wine tasting 

Thur 28 Jun 

1.15–2pm Gallery Talk 21 FREE Caskets & coffers 

2–4pm Family Activity EC FREE Musical Museum 




India – myth and reality 

Fri 29 Jun 

10.30–12pm Session for Visually Impaired People 

21 FREE ‘The English Prize’ Exhibition 

1.15–2pm Gallery Talk 21 FREE Condiments 

SAT 30 jun 




Behind-the-scenes of the Cast Gallery

GALLERY ACTIVITIES FAMILIES | 10| 14 

SATURDAY 

ACTIVITIES 

Pick and Mix 

EC Sat 28 Apr, 1–4pm 

Take your pick from a range of 

activities designed by Museum 

Volunteers. 

The Art of Soldiering 

EC Sat 12 May, 1–4pm 

Learn about the lives of soldiers 

of the past with the Soldiers 

of Oxfordshire Trust. Object 

handling and plaster casting 

activities for families. 

Who were the Anglo-Saxons? 

EC Sat 16 Jun, 1–4pm 

Hear the tales of early English 

history and design your own 

Anglo-Saxon pin or shield. 

UNDER–5s 

Animals of Egypt 

EC Thur 19 Apr, 2–4pm 

Find hippos, gazelles and 

beasties and make a clay animal 

to take home. 

Rainbow 

EC Thur 17 May, 2–4pm 

Discover a rainbow of colourful 

objects around the Museum 

and then join our paint mixing 

session. 

Musical Museum 

EC Thur 28 Jun, 2–4pm 

Sing along in a musical tour of 

the Museum then decorate a 

rattle to take home with you. 

Pottery shard with painted 

horse, Egypt, c.1353–1335 BC 

Anglo-Saxon disc brooch, 

7th century 

HOLIDAY 

HAPPENINGS 

Easter 

Olympic Sculpture 

EC Tue 3 & Wed 4 Apr, 1–4pm 

Join local artist Francesca 

Shakespeare for a hands-on 

sculpting workshop, inspired 

by ancient Greece. 

In association with 

Bank holidayS 

Ancient Egypt 

EC Mon 9 Apr, 11–4pm 

We have trails and treasures to 

help you discover the ancient 

Egyptians. 

Kings and Queens 

EC Mon 7 May, 11–4pm 

Celebrate the Jubilee by 

searching for the kings and 

queens of the Ashmolean. 

Make a crown to wear at home. 

june half-term 

Indian Summer 

EC Wed 6; Thur 7; Fri 8 Jun: 

1–4pm 

Our India galleries are the theme 

for afternoon craft activities, 

stories, and object handling. 

Drop in All family events are free, 

with a suggested donation £1 per child 

Reminder Children must be 

accompanied by an adult at all events

15 | NEW DISPLAYS

NEW DISPLAYS | 16 

SAVE Manet for the PUBLIC 

GIVE NOW 

This striking portrait was painted 

in preparation for Manet’s 

celebrated picture ‘Le Balcon’, 

1868–9 now in the Musée 

d’Orsay, Paris (below, right). The 

subject is Fanny Claus, a famous 

violinist who was a close friend 

of the artist’s wife. She died from 

consumption at the age of 30 

just nine years later. 

The Ashmolean is campaigning 

to save Manet’s ‘Portrait of 

Mademoiselle Claus’ for the 

public, ahead of its planned 

export in August 2012. 

To keep up with our progress, 

and to find out more about 

special events, activities and how 

you can get involved, please visit 

www.ashmolean.org/manet 

The ‘Portrait of Mademoiselle 

Claus’ was bought in 1884 by 

the American artist John Singer 

Sargent. It has remained in his 

family ever since and is now one 

of the few major works by Manet 

left in private hands. As a rare 

example of the working methods 

of one of the greatest artists of 

the 19th century it is one of the 

most important Impressionist 

paintings in the country. 

Manet’s ‘Portrait of 

Mademoiselle Claus’ 

is on display in Gallery 65 

until August 2012 

Edouard Manet 

‘Le Balcon’, 1868–9 

© RMN-GP (Museé d’Orsay) / 

Hervé Lewandowski

17 | NEW DISPLAYS 

Art at the Edge presents: 

Sculpture and Sport: 

A Celebration for 2012 

2 Until 20 May 2012 

Admission free 

To celebrate the London 

Olympics, the Ashmolean 

will display a group of bronze 

sculptures from ‘Art at the Edge’, 

a specially commissioned series 

of works representing different 

Olympic and Paralympic sports. 

Each sculpture is cast in bronze 

and made by a different artist 

to reflect a cross-section of 

contemporary British sculpture. 

The works will be placed in the 

Ashmolean’s Human Image 

Gallery, amongst the Museum’s 

permanent collections. 

Curator’s Talk 

Atrium Fri 20 Apr, 1–2pm 

An introduction to the display 

with curator of ‘Sculpture 

and Sport’ Alan Dun. Free, 

no booking necessary, spaces 

limited. 

Beauties and Heroes: 

Legends and Stories in 

Chinese Art 

11 Until 10 Jun 2012 


To celebrate Chinese New 

Year, the Museum displays 

paintings, prints and papercuts 

of legendary figures from 

Chinese folklore. Characters 

from popular fiction and Beijing 

Opera – such as the Fox Fairy 

and the Kungfu Heroine – are 

depicted in bold colours and fine 

brushwork. This special display 

explores the representation 

of legends from figure 

paintings of the 17th century to 

contemporary masterpieces. 

‘Blade Runner’, by John 

Buckley 

Detail of ‘Scene from White 

Snake’, 1990 by Gao Made 

Frontispiece from a Qur’an, 

Iran, late 15th century 

Johannes Vermeer 

‘Young Woman Seated at a 

Virginal’ [detail], c.1670 

© New York, private collection 

‘Al-Qur’an al-Karim’: Sacred 

Verses, Beautiful Pages 

29 Until 1 Jul 2012 


This special display looks at 

the Qur’an - the holy book of 

Islam - as a source of artistic 

inspiration and expression, from 

the early centuries of Islam, to 

the present day. The display 

follows the evolution in the 

practice of copying the Qur’an 

across Islamic countries, and 

the impact this has had on the 

development of calligraphy and 

book illumination. 

Curator’s Talk: Qur’an and 

Islamic Calligraphy 

21 Fri 13 Apr; 4 May; 

1 Jun: 11–12pm 

Explore the special display 

with an introduction from 

Dr Francesca Leoni, Yousef 

Jameel Curator of Islamic Art. 

Free, no booking necessary.

NEW DISPLAYS | 18 

A Miniature Masterpiece 

VERMEER’s 

Young Woman Seated at a Virginal 

45 Until Setpember 2012 


During 2012 visitors to the Ashmolean have the 

rare opportunity to see the only privately-owned 

painting by Johannes Vermeer (1632–75). ‘Young 

Woman Seated at a Virginal‘ is a late masterpiece 

by the Delft painter, dating to around 1670. It will 

be displayed in the Ashmolean’s Dutch Art Gallery 

until September. 

Vermeer is an extremely rare artist, having painted 

a small number of works, of which only 30 have 

survived. The subject of a young woman playing a 

musical instrument in a modest domestic interior 

was painted by Vermeer on a number of occasions. 

This is his last known treatment of the subject, with 

a characteristic emphasis on the delicate fall of light 

on the woman, catching in the folds of her clothes 

and on the instrument, with a wall behind her. 

‘Young Woman Seated at a Virginal’ is in the 

Ashmolean’s Dutch Gallery where it can be seen 

alongside other works from the Dutch ‘Golden Age’ 

which include ‘Portrait of a Woman’ by Frans Hals 

(also on loan from a private collection); paintings 

by Albert Cuyp, Jacob van Ruisdael and Gabriel 

Metsu; decorative arts and Delftware porcelain. 

© New York, private collection

19 | TOURS, TALKS & LECTURES 

Lunchtime Gallery Talks 

Talks are led by staff from the Education Team and 

are free but donations are welcome. Places are 

allocated by tokens available from the Information 

Desk 15 minutes before the talk (no advance 

booking). Numbers are limited to 15 people. 

21 Tues–Fri, 1.15–2pm 

April 

Tue 3 Warriors 

Wed 4 Impressionism 

Thur 5 Greek sculpture in the Classical period 

Tue 10 Symbols in western art 

Wed 11 Early Italian art 

Thur 12 Costume in art 

Fri 13 The Reading & Writing Gallery 

Tue 17 19th-century art 

Wed 18 Saints and their symbols 

Thur 19 Introduction to glass 

Fri 20 The Grand Tour: England & Italy 

Tue 24 Paintings on pottery 

Wed 25 Handful of silver 

Thur 26 17th-century painting in Holland 

Fri 27 The 20th-Century Gallery 

MAY 

Tue 1 

Wed 2 

Thur 3 

Fri 4 

Tue 8 

Wed 9 

Thur 10 

Fri 11 

Tue 15 

Wed 16 

Thur 17 

Fri 18 

Tue 22 

Wed 23 

Thur 24 

Fri 25 

Tue 29 

Wed 30 

Thur 31 

Stories behind the pictures 

Turner and Palmer 

Maiolica: hidden stories 

Introduction to the ancient Near East 

Introduction to the new Egypt & Nubia 

Galleries 

Watches - jewel or machine? 

The human image 

Bronze in the ancient world 

Silver and dining 

Narrative from early sculpture 

The colour blue 

The foundation of western drama 

Ceramic flowers 

17th-century Dutch still life 

Shakespeare’s world 


Symbols 

Musical instruments 

Pilgrims’ stories 

June 

Fri 1 

Wed 6 

Thur 7 

Fri 8 

Tue 12 

Wed 13 

Thur 14 

Fri 15 

Tue 19 

Wed 20 

Thur 21 

Fri 22 

Tue 26 

Wed 27 

Thur 28 

Fri 29 

Portraiture in western painting 

Historia painting and sculpture 

A peep behind the scenes 

Oak as furniture and in art 

An 18th-century tour 

Camille Pissarro and his friends 

Ladies of fashion - beauty aids 

Women in western painting 

Time for tea 

Ancient jewellery 

The Bull of Minos 

The Twentieth Century Gallery 

Bags, belts and purses 


Caskets and coffers 

Condiments 

Twilight Gallery Talks 

21 Two Thursdays each month, 5–5.45pm 

12 Apr Arundel and the Arundel Marbles 

26 Apr The Textiles Gallery 

10 May Oxford and the Pre-Raphaelites 

24 May The story of British coinage 

14 Jun Introduction to the ancient Near East 

28 Jun India: myth and reality 

Saturday Highlights Tours 

21 Every Saturday, 

11am–12pm 

Discover the treasures of the Ashmolean with this 

great introduction to the Museum. 

‘a closer look’ tours 

21 Tues–Sun 

2.15–2.45pm 

Tours of selected galleries with members of the 

Museum’s Front of House Team. 

Tours are free but donations are welcome. 

Places are allocated on a first-come/first-served 

basis, no advance booking. Numbers limited to 

15 people.

TOURS, TALKS & LECTURES | 20 

behind-the-scenes of the cast gallery 

21 Thursdays and Saturdays at 3pm 

A chance to see the Ashmolean’s unique cast 

collection on the lower-ground floor. Tours are led 

by Museum Volunteers and are free but donations 

are welcome. Places are allocated on a first-come/ 

first-served basis, no advance booking. Numbers 

limited to 12 people. Access: regrettably, due to 

the layout of the historic building, the lower-ground 

floor is only accessible by stairs. 

Visions of mughal india exhibition Tours 

Exhibition highlights tours 

60 Wednesdays, 3–3.45pm (until 18 April) 

An introduction to the highlights of the exhibition 

with members of the Gallery Lecturer team. Free 

with price of admission, no booking necessary. 

Curator-led tour 

60 Thur 19 April, 11am–12pm 

A special tour with Exhibition Curator and Keeper 

of Eastern Art, Dr Andrew Topsfield - and a chance 

to see the show before it closes on Sunday! Free 

with price of admission, no booking necessary. 

‘Sultan Ali Adil Shah hunting a tiger’, c.1660 

© The Collection of Howard Hodgkin 

Lectures 

2012 Roger Morey memorial lecture 

A Short Prehistory of the Persian Gulf 

With Dr Harriet Crawford, University of Cambridge 

Wolfson College Wed 30 May, 5.30–6.30pm 

This lecture looks at developments made in the last 

half century, as archaeologists have begun to reveal 

the distinctive prehistoric cultures that occupied 

the shores of the Persian Gulf. Dr Crawford 

discusses the central role that these societies 

played in the complex trading relations that linked 

ancient Mesopotamia with Iran and the Indus 

Valley. Free, to reserve a place contact: 

antiquities@ashmus.ox.ac.uk / 01865 278 020 

AFTERNOON TEA LECTURE 

The Medieval Forest 

With Lecturer Tim Porter 

HLT Fri 22 Jun, 2–4pm 

The forest was a phenomenon in medieval England 

and a political bone of contention. Celebrated in art 

and myth and subject to savage laws, the forest’s 

wild presence is still seen in the landscape. £8/£7 

concessions (inc. tea and cake), book now: 

www.ashmolean.org/whatsonbooking

21 | COURSES & WORKSHOPS 

ART APPRECIATION 

PHOTOGRAPHY 

WORKSHOPS 

Exploring the Grand Tour 

EC Fri 11, 18, 25 May & 1 Jun: 

2.30–4.30pm 

A four-week course with art 

historian David Addison to 

accompany the ‘English Prize’ 

exhibition. Learn about the 

Grand Tour and explore its 

profound influence on 

British culture through the 

Ashmolean’s collections. 

£45/£35 concessions (inc. 

refreshments), booking 

essential, places limited to 15. 

Digital Photography for 

Beginners 

EC Thur 26 Apr–31 May 

6.30–8.30pm 

A six-week course with tutor 

Mike Betts starting with the 

basics. No prior knowledge 

needed; students must own a 

digital SLR camera. For more 

information and to book and 

pay visit www.michaelbetts. 

com. £180/£170 concessions, 

booking essential, places 

limited to 12. 

Book now www.ashmolean.org/whatsonbooking 

Life Model to Moving Figure 

With tutor Amanda Beck 

EC Sat 26 & Sun 27 May, 

10.30–4.30pm 

A two-day workshop in which 

students learn analytical and 

intuitive approaches to drawing, 

experimenting with a range of 

techniques and materials. On 

day one students develop their 

skills in life drawing, working 

from a model and in the galleries. 

On day two an Egyptian dancer 

provides the opportunity to draw 

the moving figure. £105/£95 

concessions (inc. all materials), 

booking essential, placed limited 

to 10. 

Roman Jewellery Workshop 

With tutor Sally Spencer 

EC Sun 24 Jun, 10.30–4.30pm 

Study Roman jewellery in the 

Museum then create replica 

Roman coins to hang from a 

silver fibula pin, adding pearls 

and gemstones in your own 

design. £70/£65 concessions 

(inc. all materials), booking 

essential, places limited to 8. 

‘Roman Capriccio’ [detail], 

by Giovanni Paolo Panini, 1740s

Have you seen 

ouR new 

ONLINE SHOP? 

www.ashmolean.org/shop 

The Ashmolean has launched 

a new Online Shop, in 

partnership with Amazon 

Featuring an exciting range 

of new products inspired by 

the Museum’s collections 

and special exhibitions, the 

Shop offers customers an easy 

way to find unique gifts and 

souvenirs from your visit. 

Existing Amazon accountholders 

will be able to shop on 

the website in the usual way; 

and a beautifully designed 

new platform will make it 

easier than ever to bring the 

Ashmolean home to you.

www.ashmoleandiningroom.com 

Open: Tues–Sun, 10–6pm 

Thur & Fri evenings until 9.30pm 

(April–September) 

T 01865 553 823 

E ashmolean@benugo.com 

The Ashmolean Dining Room is 

a beautiful setting for lunch and 

Easter sees the launch of a new 

evening venue where you can 

enjoy cocktails and snacks on the 

rooftop as the sun goes down 

over Oxford. 

www.ashmolean.org/cafe 

Open: Tues–Sun 10–6pm 

The Ashmolean’s eating and 

shopping area on the lower 

ground floor is a lovely place to 

take a break. Cakes and pastries 

are freshly baked every day; 

there are warming soups and a 

range of sandwiches for lunch. 

Traditional cream tea is served 

from 3pm. 

ShopPING 

www.ashmolean.org/shop 

Open: Tues–Sun 10–6pm 

T 01865 288 185 

Mail-order: T 01865 288 185 

The Ashmolean Shop has 

a great range of products 

inspired by special exhibitions 

and the Museum’s permanent 

collections. And don’t forget the 

new Online Shop launched in 

partnership with Amazon. 

Woodstock Rd 

Banbury Rd 

Beaumont Street 

Oxford OX1 2PH 

T 01865 278 000 

www.ashmolean.org 

Admission Free 

Open: Tues–Sun 

Bank Holiday Mondays 

10am–6pm 

Closed: Mondays 

Train 

Station 

Subscribe to E-News: 

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Botley Rd 

To A420, A34 

Swindon 

and West 

Hythe Bridge St 

Hollybush Row 

Coach Parking 

To A40, M40 

Ring Road, 

Woodstock 

and North 

Ashmolean 

Oxpens Rd 

Parking 

Parking 

St Giles 

Beaumont St 

Parking 

Bus Station 

Parking 

Westgate 

Shopping 

Centre 

Thames St 

Parking 

Ioannou Centre 

Taylorian 

Tourist 

Information 

Pitt Rivers 

Oxford University 

Museum of 

Natural History 

Museum of the History 

of Science 

Bodleian Library 

Christ Church 

Picture Gallery 

Bate Collection of 

Musical Instruments 

Botanic Garden 

Follow us: 

Abingdon Rd 

To A34, M4, M40 

Abingdon and South

What'S oN - The Ashmolean Museum

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