This hybrid series of six lectures will extend and develop chronological themes arising from the earlier lecture series, ‘Art in Britain: Constable to Henry Moore’. We will begin by examining figurative art produced in Britain during the Second World War: artists such as Paul Nash and Eric Ravilious will be featured. Attention will then turn to the art-world of the 1950s, with the work of artists such as Lucien Freud and Francis Bacon being examined.
We will then explore a neglected chapter of British post-war art: the paintings and sculptures produced for the 1951 Festival of Britain. Sculpture will then comprise the central theme for the fourth lecture of the series. We will explore the works of sculptors such as Lynn Chadwick, Eduardo Paolozzi, and Anthony Caro.
Attention will then shift to the 1960s and 70s. Here the impact of American and European abstract art upon the British art scene will be explored, along with the rise of Pop Art in Britain. Artists such as Peter Blake, Bridget Riley and David Hockney will be featured.
Finally we will trace the development of the visual arts in Britain from the late 1970s to the present day. A central theme here will be the advent of Conceptualism in Britain, and its continuing impact upon British visual art up to the present.
Artists to be featured here will include ‘Art & Language’, Gilbert & George, Tracey Emin, and Damien Hirst.
Register for the whole series or individual lectures
For this lecture series, you can register for the entire series by clicking 'Book Now' on this page or you can register for individual lectures via the links below.
Please note: enrolments for the complete series will close at 23:59 UTC on 22 January 2026. Enrolments for each individual lecture will close two days before each lecture.