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Events

Events

An Introduction to Ranjit Singh: Sikh, Warrior, King An Introduction to Ranjit Singh: Sikh, Warrior, King Join co-curators Dr Xavier Bray and Davinder Toor to gain insights into our new exhibition.
Date Wednesday 17 April 2024 
Times 18.30-19.30 BST (exhibition visit and refreshments until 20.45)
Location At the museum and online (Zoom) 
Speakers Dr Xavier Bray and Davinder Toor 

Sold out at the museum. Book now to join us online. 

Ranjit Singh: Sikh, Warrior, King provides a unique opportunity to see the Wallace Collection’s Sikh arms and armour in a new context. Displayed alongside exquisite jewellery, paintings and decorative art objects, together they reveal much about the life of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Empire. 

Join exhibition co-curators, Dr Xavier Bray and Davinder Toor, to gain insights into key objects and to hear more about the ideas that helped shape their selections. 

About the speakers: Davinder Toor is a leading figure among a new generation of Sikh, Indian and Islamic art collectors. He has acted as a consultant to major private collectors, auction houses and institutions such as the British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum and the Wallace Collection. He currently lectures on the 'Arts of the Royal Sikh Courts' and 'Sikh Painting and Manuscripts' for the Victoria and Albert Museum’s prestigious 'Arts of Asia' course. Both he and objects from the Toor Collection of Sikh Art were featured on the BBC’s ‘Lost Treasures of the Sikh Kingdom’ (2014) and ‘The Stolen Maharajah: Britain's Indian Royal' (2018) documentaries. The Toor Collection, comprising in excess of 1500 works, acts as a lasting legacy to the empire of the Sikhs.  

Dr Xavier Bray is the Director of the Wallace Collection.  

Take part at the museum: Join us at the museum for this special talk, followed by refreshments and entry to the exhibition Ranjit Singh: Sikh, Warrior, King until 20.45. 

Watch online: This talk will also be broadcast live from the museum. Online ticketholders will be emailed a link to join 24 hours in advance. Ticketholders will also receive a link to view a recording of the talk, which will be available for two weeks only. 

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Rococo and the Sublime Rococo and the Sublime Learn about the unexpected common ground between the Rococo and Sublime styles.
Date Tuesday 4 June 2024                 
Times 11.00-13.00 BST 
Location At the museum  
Speaker Dr Matthew Morgan  

With a focus on astounding and sometimes threatening subjects, the sublime – seen in paintings such as Vernet’s A Storm and a Shipwreck – invites the viewer to experience dramatic and awe-inspiring effects. By contrast, the flamboyant, playful and sometimes sensual images of the Rococo appear more light-hearted, exemplified by the Collection’s most famous painting, Fragonard’s The Swing.  

Join Dr Matthew Morgan to learn how, despite the prevalence of the Rococo style, the dramatic ideas of the sublime were in fact widespread in 18th-century France. Looking at a selection of works through a contextual talk and gallery tour, we’ll learn how to navigate the unexpected common ground between these seemingly opposed and captivating styles. 

Joining Information and Format: This course will take place in the Theatre, Lower Ground Floor, and in galleries throughout the museum. 

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The Power of Possessions The Power of Possessions Join Jacqui Ansell to learn how clothing, armour and accessories convey power and identity.
Date Tuesday 30 April 2024                  
Times 11.00-13.00 BST   
Location At the museum and online (Zoom) 
Speakers Jacqui Ansell  

Beauty, strength, intellect, economic and moral status. How might clothing, armour and accessories express these qualities and more?  

Join dress historian Jacqui Ansell to explore the ways in which power can be conveyed through artworks. We’ll delight in the details of armour and ceramics, as well as miniatures and large-scale paintings, and consider how identities are constructed. A careful selection of portraits and precious objects from the 1400s to the 1800s will also act as an intriguing introduction to the wealth and scope of the Wallace Collection. 

Take part at the museum: This course will take place in the Theatre, Lower Ground Floor. Participants taking part at the museum are encouraged to visit the galleries in their own time afterwards.  

Watch online: This course will also be broadcast live from the museum. Online ticketholders will be emailed a link to join 24 hours in advance. Ticketholders will also receive a link to view a recording of the course, which will be available for two weeks only. 

    

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Sikh Contemporary Art: Influence and Legacies Sikh Contemporary Art: Influence and Legacies Join guest curator Davinder Toor and artists Jatinder Durhailay, Keerat Kaur and Nep Sidhu as they discuss contemporary Sikh art.
Date Thursday 23 May 2024
Time 18.30-19.30 BST (exhibition visit and refreshments until 20.45)
Location At the museum and online (Zoom)
Speakers Davinder Toor in conversation with Jatinder Singh Durhailay, Keerat Kaur and Nep Sidhu

Through the many exquisite art objects presented in our exhibition Ranjit Singh: Sikh, Warrior, King, visitors can see how the arts developed and thrived during the time of the Sikh Empire. Join Davinder Toor, guest curator of the exhibition, alongside international artists Jatinder Singh Durhailay, Keerat Kaur and Nep Sidhu, as they discuss current influences and legacies in Sikh art.

About the speakers: Guest curator Davinder Toor is a leading figure among a new generation of Sikh, Indian and Islamic art collectors. He has acted as a consultant to major private collectors, auction houses and institutions such as the British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum and the Wallace Co. He currently lectures on the 'Arts of the Royal Sikh Courts' and 'Sikh Painting and Manuscripts' for the Victoria and Albert Museum’s prestigious 'Arts of Asia' course. Both he and objects from the Toor Collection of Sikh Art were featured on the BBC’s Lost Treasures of the Sikh Kingdom (2014) and The Stolen Maharajah: Britain's Indian Royal (2018) documentaries. The Toor Collection, comprising in excess of 1500 works, acts as a lasting legacy to the empire of the Sikhs.

Jatinder Singh Durhailay is an Oxfordshire-based painter and musician. His artistic practice spans painting and drawing, with a special interest in the usage of naturally derived pigments as well as Indian classical music. Blending myth and contemporary culture, his portrayal of the Sikh community and culture are humorous, heroic and poignant. He paints intricate and observant portraits and scenes in the style of Indian Mughal miniature painting. Jatinder’s work has been shown internationally and features in renowned private and public collections. He is trained in Indian classical music, performing and practising Kirtan and as part of the musical duo, Petit Oiseau, he has played in prestigious museums and galleries.

Keerat Kaur is a Canadian artist and architect (lic. OAA) with Sikh-Panjabi roots. Her work takes shape through the disciplines of painting, sculpture, writing, music, and architecture. Drawing inspiration from Sikh philosophies, she employs the art of metaphor and symbolism to revolutionise our relationship to nature and spirituality. Regardless of the chosen medium, Kaur’s work is firmly rooted in the written word, serving as a pivotal starting point. This characteristic lends her work a profoundly narrative and illustrative quality, as imagery and language seamlessly coalesce, enriching each other’s impact.

Nep Sidhu’s work involves material investigations of textile, sculpture, painting, video, and sound. Through his explorations, Nep seeks pathways to realise the formlessness of the divine through endless possibility, search and sangat (congregation). He is a member of the Black Constellation collective, designs adornment and clothing under the Paradise Sportif's moniker, and helps run Sher-E-Punjab Sports Academy in Chakar, Punjab, with the local community. Nep is based in Toronto, Canada.

Take part at the museum: Join us at the museum for this special discussion panel, followed by refreshments and an opportunity to visit the exhibition Ranjit Singh: Sikh, Warrior, King.

Watch online: This discussion panel will also be broadcast live from the museum. Online ticketholders will be emailed a link to join 24 hours in advance. Ticketholders will also receive a link to view a recording of the event, which will be available for two weeks only

 

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Life Stories: Ranjit Singh Life Stories: Ranjit Singh Through objects presented in our new exhibition, explore the exceptional life and legacy of the great Sikh leader Ranjit Singh.
Date Wednesdays 8, 15 and 22 May 2024 
Time 18.00-20.00 BST 
Location Online (Zoom)  
Speaker Dr Sâqib Bâburî 

Through objects presented in our new exhibition Ranjit Singh: Sikh, Warrior, King, alongside other material aspects of his court, explore the exceptional life and legacy of the great Sikh leader Ranjit Singh (1780-1839). 

In the 18th century, the once powerful Timurid (Mughal) Empire retreated from the wealthy region of the Punjab, now divided between India and Pakistan. Unstable and continually plundered by invasions from Afghanistan, peace and prosperity was eventually restored to the region through local resistance and the enigmatic leadership of Ranjit Singh.  

Over three sessions, we’ll examine Ranjit Singh’s rise to power and the multifaceted reasons for the stability and duration of his almost four-decade reign – regarded as a highpoint in an otherwise violently unstable century. 

Led by Dr Sâqib Bâburî, Content Specialist Archivist with the Qatar Foundation Partnership (British Library) and formerly Curator for Urdu Collections and Curator for Persian Manuscripts (British Library). 

Read the full course description here.  

Joining Information and Format: This course will be taught through Zoom Webinar. Each course session duration is 120 minutes, including a five-minute break and Q&A session with the tutor.  

Tickets are for all dates of this course. Ticketholders will be emailed the Zoom link, Webinar ID and Passcode 24 hours in advance of the first course session, which should be retained for accessing both sessions.   

Course Recording: This course will be recorded. Within 48 hours of each course session, ticket holders will be emailed a link to view the recording, which will be available for two weeks.  

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LGBTQ+ Late: Rococo Rocks LGBTQ+ Late: Rococo Rocks Powder your wig and paint those heels red, our annual LGBTQ+ Late returns and this year we're rocking Rococo.
Date Friday 28 June 2024
Time 18.30-21.30 BST, with bar and music until 23.00
Location At the Museum

 

Powder your wig and paint those heels red, our annual LGBTQ+ Late returns and this year we're rocking Rococo.

Artist Sadie Lee takes the helm on our special 10th anniversary year to curate an LGBTQ+ celebration with a pinch of Rococo. Join us for Queer-themed performances, music and art at the most stylish museum in town.

Take part at the Museum: Join us at the museum for this special event between 18.30-21.30 BST, with bar and music continuing until 23.00. Includes access to the exhibition Ranjit Singh: Sikh Warrior, King until 20.30.

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Weekend Masterclass: Indian Miniature Painting Weekend Masterclass: Indian Miniature Painting Discover the methods, materials and techniques of the Pahari miniature painting tradition, in a creative weekend.
Date Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 June 2024                      
Time 10.30-16.30 BST 
Location At the Museum
Speaker Simran Panesar

Our new exhibition Ranjit Singh: Sikh, Warrior, King presents a variety of exquisite miniature paintings from the Sikh Empire. Join us to discover the methods, materials and techniques surrounding the Pahari miniature painting tradition, over a creative weekend in our studio. Delving into natural pigments, handmade papers and age-old brush techniques that give Pahari miniature paintings their distinctive appearance, you’ll develop knowledge and skills in this painting tradition as well as in finishing techniques, such as shell gold gilding. Over the course of the weekend you’ll create a colourful, gilded miniature painting to take home.

Led by artist Simran Panesar. 

Read the full course description here.  

Joining Information and Format: This masterclass will take place in the Learning Studio, Lower Ground Floor at the museum. It includes access to the Ranjit Singh: Sikh, Warrior, King exhibition during the event. 

Equipment and Materials: Please wear clothes suitable for a messy workshop. All materials and equipment are provided.  

Background Image: Tawarikh-i Jahander Shah, an incomplete account of the reigns of Bahadur Shah and his successor Jahandar Shah, Punjab, Late 18th century © From the British Library Archive (detail)

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Tudor Portraits Tudor Portraits Delve into the artistic, religious and political world of Tudor England through striking portraits from the Wallace Collection and beyond.
Date Monday 13 and Tuesday 14 May 2024  
Time 18.00-20.00 BST  
Location Online (Zoom)  
Speaker Dr Christina Faraday 

The Tudor age produced some of the earliest English ‘likenesses’, from life-size images of monarchs to intimate portrait miniatures. Delve into the artistic, religious and political world of 16th-century England through a number of striking works from the Wallace Collection and beyond. You’ll uncover the meanings contributed by techniques, formats and symbols to reveal the ways that portraits were made and used by people across Tudor society – from the intimacy of the artist’s studio, to the professional setting of the livery company, and on the public stage of the royal court.

Led by Dr Christina Faraday, Research Fellow in History of Art at Gonville and Caius College, University of Cambridge, and a BBC Radio 3 New Generation Thinker.   

Read the full course description here.

Joining Information and Format: This course will be taught through Zoom Webinar. Each course session duration is 120 minutes, including a five-minute break and Q&A session with the tutor.  

Tickets are for all dates of this course. Ticketholders will be emailed the Zoom link, Webinar ID and Passcode 24 hours in advance of the first course session, which should be retained for accessing both sessions.   

 

 

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The Art of Innovation: Velázquez The Art of Innovation: Velázquez Gain a deeper understanding of why Velázquez is celebrated as one of the most innovative artists of the 17th century.
Date Tuesday 25 and Wednesday 26 June 2024  
Time 18.00-20.00 BST  
Location Online (Zoom)  
Speaker Dr Chantal Brotherton-Ratcliffe 

Why is Diego Velázquez (1599-1660) celebrated as one of the most innovative artists of the 17th century? Trace his outstanding artistic development, from precisely observed still lifes to the impressionistic inventiveness of his later, audacious works.

We’ll consider how Velázquez’s prodigious talent led King Philip IV of Spain to appoint him as court painter when he was only in his early twenties – and we’ll see, despite being based in Seville and Madrid, how he was nevertheless influenced by international painters including Rubens, Reni and Caravaggio. 

Led by art historian Dr Chantal Brotherton-Ratcliffe.   

Read the full course description here.  

Joining Information and Format: This course will be taught through Zoom Webinar. Each course session duration is 120 minutes, including a five-minute break and Q&A session with the tutor.  

Tickets are for all dates of this course. Ticketholders will be emailed the Zoom link, Webinar ID and Passcode 24 hours in advance of the first course session, which should be retained for accessing both sessions.   

Course Recording: This course will be recorded. Within 48 hours of each course session, ticket holders will be emailed a link to view the recording, which will be available for two weeks.  

Book now
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