Programme – GAFAS

‘Savage Messiah’ – The Life, Work and Legend of Henri Gaudier-Brzeska

February 18, 2026 10:30 am

In the space of only four years after arriving, Henri Gaudier-Brzeska emerged as one of the leaders of the London avant-garde, a member of the Vorticist group, admired as a gifted and versatile draughtsman and sculptor of astonishing talent.

In Search of Anne of Cleves

March 18, 2026 10:30 am

Glasgow is home to a precious royal relic: the headboard of a bed made for the marriage of Henry VIII to Anne of Cleves later in 1539. ‘In Search of Anne of Cleves’ adds a chapter to the story by following the speaker’s research on some antique panels with ‘AC’ in a church in Bedfordshire.

Glasgow and the European Art Nouveau movement – then and now

April 15, 2026 10:30 am

When Charles Rennie Mackintosh died in 1928 his passing and the work he created went by virtually unannounced, as did the deaths and creative outputs of many of his Glasgow contemporaries. Together these individuals had established their home city as one of the most progressive art, design, and architectural centres in Europe at the very beginning of the 20th century.

101 Years of the Scottish Colourists

May 20, 2026 10:30 am

101 years ago, the Scottish Colourists exhibited together as a quartet for the first time in London. Considered to be Scotland’s leading artists of the twentieth century the links between them were based more on personal than professional relationships and Alice will be talking about the ebb and flow of their individual and group reputations over the years.

Rococo: the first Pop Art?

June 17, 2026 10:30 am

This talk may raise some eyebrows, but it is hoped that those who like Rococo might see Pop Art differently, and those who like Pop Art might look at Rococo again.

Dolls Houses – Members Only meeting

December 17, 2025 12:00 am

Amanda Herries 17th December 2025 @10.30am From their early days as educational aids and indicators of status over 300 years ago, European ‘Baby Houses’ have held a special fascination. With furnishings created by master guildsmen recording domestic life that has long gone they are an historic record, often with extraordinary exactness, and laced with special […]

The Invention of British Art

September 17, 2025 10:30 am

Celebrated art historian and broadcaster Bendor Grosvenor comes to GAFAS to speak about his new book on British art through time, a story of how a small island nation managed to produce, after many setbacks, some of the most brilliant and distinctive artists who ever lived, such as Constable and Turner.

The Trades Hall of Glasgow

October 15, 2025 10:30 am

The Trades Hall is a stunning Adam designed building with opulent interiors, an extensive art collection and a mammoth amount of information stored in their library and museum.

‘Visions of Vesuvius’ – Vesuvius and Naples in Art

November 19, 2025 10:31 am

An ‘explosive’ lecture that starts and continues with a visual bang, exploring British connections with the dramatic volcanic backdrop of the city of Naples.

Between Angels and Devils: Botticelli and Renaissance Florence

June 18, 2025 10:30 am

Sandro Botticelli is now one of the most popular painters of the Italian Renaissance. His beautiful ‘Primavera’ and elegant ‘Birth of Venus’ are amongst the best known images from the Florentine Golden Age, but the times he lived in were volatile and dangerous and his art masked political turmoil and religious unease.