Samuel Courtauld Society
Events programme spring / summer 2013
The spring/summer 2013 Samuel Courtauld Society events programme offers members exclusive art events at The Courtauld Institute of Art, in London, the UK and further afield.
Throughout the year we continue to add yet more Samuel Courtauld Society events and offers so please keep checking this page.
Please see below for full details on the events and information on how to book. Please note that bookings are required for all events - thank you.
We look forward to welcoming you to a Samuel Courtauld Society event very soon!
If you are not a Samuel Courtauld Society member, but would like to join and attend these events, please contact Georgina Ralston - georgina.ralston@courtauld.ac.uk / +44 (0) 207 848 2194 or join online.
February

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Courtauld Expert Tour: Impressionist and Modern Masterpieces
Fri 1 Feb, 11am - noon
Christie’s, King Street, London
For: Director’s Circle and Patrons’ Circle
Courtauld alumna Cornelia Svedman (MA 2007), Head of the Impressionist & Modern Works on Paper Sale at Christie’s, invites you to a very special preview of the Impressionist and Modern Art lots before they are auctioned at Christie’s on 6-7 February. Following Cornelia’s highlights tour – featuring stunning pieces by Modigliani, Picasso and Matisse; Kandinsky and Schiele – members are warmly invited to join her for coffee.
IMAGE: Amedeo Modigliani Jeanne Hébuterne (Au chapeau), 1919, Private collection

Courtauld Expert Tour: Furniture
Gallery at the V&A
Wed 6 Feb, 9.00 – 10.00 am
V&A
For: Director’s Circle and Patrons’ Circle
In December 2012, the V&A unveiled a brand new
gallery to showcase over 200 extraordinary pieces of
furniture from its collection. Each item in the gallery is
there to make a point – in certain cases several – about
materials, techniques, manufacturing and the evolution
of Western furniture over the past 600 years. Samuel
Courtauld Society members are invited for a private tour
of this marvellous new gallery with its co-curator Nick Humphrey (MA 1991), providing a chance to explore the pieces before the museum opens to the public.
IMAGE: V&A Images
Champagne Preview: Becoming Picasso: Paris 1901
Wed 13 Feb, 5.30 – 6.30pm
The Courtauld Gallery
For: Director’s Circle and Patrons’ Circle
Becoming Picasso: Paris 1901 tells the remarkable story of Picasso’s breakthrough year as an artist.
It was the year that the ambitious nineteen-year-old launched his career in Paris with an exhibition that would set him on course to become one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. In the second half of 1901, Picasso radically changed the direction of his art, heralding the beginning of his now famous Blue period. The works show Picasso’s desire to take on and reinvent the styles of major modern artists, including Van Gogh, Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec. This exhibition brings together a spectacular group of these paintings, offering a unique opportunity to experience the birth of Picasso’s genius.
There will be a champagne reception from 5.30 – 5.50pm followed by introduction to the exhibition from Dr Barnaby Wright, Daniel Katz Curator of 20th-century Art, between 5.50 – 6.30pm.
Private View and Reception:
Becoming Picasso:Paris 1901
Wed 13 Feb, 6.30 – 8.30pm
The Courtauld Gallery
For: Director’s Circle, Patrons’ Circle and Associates
All Samuel Courtauld Society members are invited by the
Chairman, Board of Governors and the Märit Rausing
Director of the Courtauld Institute of Art to the Private View
and Reception of Becoming Picasso: Paris 1901.
IMAGE: Pablo Picasso Child with a Dove, 1901, Private collection ©
Succession Picasso/DACS, London 2013
Alumni Ambassadors Launch and CAA Courtauld Reception
Friday 15 February, 6.30 – 8.30pm
Reception 7.00pm onwards
Pace Gallery, 32 East 57th Street, New York
For: Director’s Circle, Patrons’ Circle and Associates
Courtauld alumni in New York, and those who will be in town for the College Art Association conference, are warmly invited to Pace Gallery’s midtown space – just a few blocks from the CAA conference hotel – on 15 February.
The first part of the evening will be a brief presentation by Alumni Relations Manager Janine Catalano, at 6.45pm, to launch the Alumni Ambassadors Scheme. Being piloted in the US, this new initiative is an exciting way for graduates to better help advise current students, employ fellow graduates, and recruit prospective students.
From 7.00pm onwards, Samuel Courtauld Society members are invited to mingle with alumni as well as other Courtauld contacts in town for the conference. It will also be a chance to view the exhibition of work by French conceptual painter Bernard Frize; in addition, guests can explore the fantastic selection of artworks held by Pace Prints who are also generously opening their doors to guests for the occasion.
Private Exhibition Tour:
Manet: Portraying Life
Fri 22 Feb, 8 – 9am
Royal Academy of Arts
For: Director’s Circle, Patrons’ Circle and Associates
This singularly important exhibition will be the first ever
retrospective devoted to the portraiture of Edouard
Manet. Spanning the entire career of this enigmatic
and at times controversial artist, Manet: Portraying Life
will bring together works from across Europe, Asia
and the USA. The exhibition consists of more than 50 works; among them are portraits of Manet’s most frequent sitter, his wife Suzanne Leenhoff, luminaries of the period Antonin Proust, Émile Zola and Stéphane Mallarmé, and scenes from everyday life revealing Manet’s forward-thinking, modern approach to portraiture.
Join the exhibition curator and Courtauld alumna, MaryAnne Stevens (MA 1970) for a private tour of the exhibition followed by a light breakfast.
IMAGE: Edouard Manet The Railway, 1873. Oil on canvas 93.3 x 111.5 cm.National Gallery of Art, Washington, Gift of Horace Havemeyer in memory of his mother, Louisine W. Havemeyer, 1956.10.1 Photo courtesy of the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC. Exhibition organised by the Royal Academy of Arts, London with the Toledo Museum of Art, Ohio.
MARCH
Art13 London
Fri 1 Mar – Sun 3 Mar
Collector’s Preview and First Night
Thurs 28 February
In Conversation with Stephanie Dieckvoss, Art13
London Fair Director
Sat 2 Mar 3pm
Olympia, London
For: Director’s Circle and Patrons’ Circle
We are delighted to announce an exciting collaboration with
Art13 London. Launching in spring 2013, Art13 London,
sponsored by Citi Private Bank, is a new modern and
contemporary art fair that will feature over 120 of the world’s
leading galleries from 30 countries showing thousands of
artworks; 70% of which are making their debut at an art fair
in London. Whether your interest is painting, sculpture,
photography, prints and editions or multimedia, this is a great place to discover and buy art.
Art13 London will take place at Olympia Grand Hall in West London from 1-3 March 2013 (First Night reception: 28 February 2013). We are offering Director’s Circle and Patrons’ Circle members VIP passes, which provide access to an extensive programme of events throughout the fair.
In addition, there will be a special opportunity to hear Courtauld alumna Stephanie Dieckvoss (MA 1995) and Art13 London, director will be in conversation with fellow alumna Jacky Klein (MA 2001), Commissioning Editor for Thames & Hudson and author of Grayson Perry. This is sure to be a unique insight into the international scope of the contemporary art scene today and will take place on Sat 2 March at 3pm.
IMAGE: Jonathan Yeo. Nicole. 2012. Archival Ink jet print on Somerset Satin 330gsm paper, hand finished with acrylic paint. 52 x 35cm. From Jonathan Yeo’s Some People print portfolio. The portfolio is a limited edition of 60. Courtesy of Eleven.
Private Exhibition Visit: The Northern
Renaissance: Dürer to Holbein
Mon 4 Mar 6.30 – 8pm
The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace
For: Director’s Circle and Patrons’ Circle
Join Courtauld alumnae Lucy Whitaker (MPhil 1987) and
Kate Heard (MA 1998) for an evening drinks reception at The
Queens’s Gallery and introduction to The Northern
Renaissance: Dürer to Holbein exhibition.
This exhibition brings together over 100 works by the
greatest Northern European artists of the 15th and 16th
century. Among the highlights are prints and drawings by
Albrecht Dürer, mythological paintings by Lucas Cranach the
Elder, and preparatory drawings by Hans Holbein the
Younger displayed alongside the finished oil portraits.
IMAGE:
Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2013
Director’s Circle Dinner: Feasting with Picasso
Wed 6 Mar 7-10pm
The Courtauld Gallery
For: Director’s Circle
To celebrate The Courtauld’s 80th anniversary, Märit Rausing Director Deborah Swallow invites guests to experience an intimate curated culinary evening that will uncover the life and work of Pablo Picasso in a deliciously decadent way.
Following the success of the 2012 Surrealist Spectacular held at West Dean, food scholar and art historian Janine Catalano will guide guests through another edible adventure.
Guests will be transported to Picasso’s turn-of-the-century haunts in France and Spain including legendary eateries Els Quatre Gats and Au Lapin Agile, and will enjoy an inspired Mediterranean feast that will engage both mouth and mind throughout this unforgettable evening.
The Armory Show
Thurs 7 – Sun 10 Mar
New York
For: Director’s Circle and Patrons’ Circle
The Armory Show is devoted to showcasing the most important artworks of the 20th and 21st centuries. Celebrating its centennial edition in 2013, the Armory Show combines a selection of the world’s leading galleries with an exceptional programme of arts events and exhibitions throughout New York during the celebrated Armory Arts Week. The Armory Show is extending to Samuel Courtauld Society members invitations to the vernissage, complimentary passes and access to the VIP events programme.
Courtauld Collection Uncovered: Collection Highlight
Tues 12 Mar 6.30 – 8pm
The Courtauld Gallery
For: Director’s Circle, Patrons’ Circle and Associates
Samuel Courtauld Society members are invited to a private viewing as Dr Sacha Gerstein (Curator of Sculpture & Decorative Arts) discusses one of the key pieces of sculpture in The Courtauld’s collection.
Private Collection Visit
Thurs 14 Mar 6.30 - 8pm
Highgate
For: Director’s Circle
We are enormously grateful to one of our Patron’s Circle members for opening up his home to a small group of members to enjoy an impressive collection of historical catalogues and extraordinary illustrated books by eminent artists including Miro and Matisse. Dr Rachel Sloan, Assistant Curator of Works on Paper, will accompany the visit and discuss the collection.
The Courtauld at Maastricht: Highlight Tour and Reception
Sat 16 Mar 5 – 9pm
TEFAF, Maastricht
For: Director’s Circle and Patrons’ Circle
Presenting 250 of the world’s leading galleries from 19 countries, TEFAF Maastricht is a continuously evolving showcase for the best works of art currently on the market. Samuel
Courtauld Society members are invited to join alumni for a late afternoon tour (5pm – 7pm) followed by a private drinks reception at the stunning Kruisherenhotel (7.30 – 9pm)
APRIL
Private Exhibition Tour: Man Ray Portraits
Mon 22 Apr 8 - 9.30am
National Portrait Gallery
For: Director’s Circle and Patrons’ Circle
Man Ray Portraits is the first major museum retrospective of this innovative and influential artist’s photographic portraits. Focusing on his career in America and Paris between 1916 and 1968, the exhibition highlights Man Ray’s central position among the leading artists of the Dada and Surrealist movements and the significant range of contemporaries, celebrities, friends and lovers that he captured: from Marcel Duchamp and Pablo Picasso to Kiki de Montparnasse, Lee Miller and Catherine Deneuve.
Featuring over 150 vintage prints and key works from international museums and private collections, the exhibition also demonstrates Man Ray’s use of revolutionary photographic techniques and early experiments with colour, as well as surveying his published work in leading magazines such as Vogue and Vanity Fair. Samuel Courtauld Society members are invited to a private tour of this intriguing exhibition.
Director’s Breakfast: Becoming Picasso: Paris 1901
Thurs 25 Apr 2013 8.00 - 9.30am
The Courtauld Gallery
For: Director’s Circle and Patrons’ Circle
Professor Deborah Swallow warmly invites Patrons’ Circle and Director’s Circle members to a seated breakfast in The Courtauld Gallery’s fine rooms, followed by a tour led by Dr Barnaby Wright, curator of Becoming Picasso: Paris 1901.
Samuel Courtauld Society Art and
Architecture Trip 2013: Chicago
Fri 26 Apr – Thurs 2 May
Chicago
For: Director’s Circle and Patrons’ Circle
This trip will be a fascinating visit to the city and an
opportunity to see several private collections, not
normally open to the public. You will also enjoy a
number of curator-led visits to the city’s major art
museums and a private visit to the Picasso
exhibition. Other highlights will include visits to the award-winning Millennium Park and a walk through The Loop, a day exploring the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, and a boat tour of the city.
IMAGE: Chicago image © Art Tours Ltd
MAY
COLLECT 2013: Morning Preview
Fri 10 May, 10.00 – 11.00 am
Saatchi Gallery
For: Director’s Circle, Patrons’ Circle and Associates
Held annually in London’s Saatchi Gallery, COLLECT is Europe’s leading fair for outstanding international contemporary craft. Organised by the Crafts Council, exhibitors from around the world present pieces by some of the best and most innovative artists working in ceramics, silver, glass, wood, textiles, metal and other mixed materials. Samuel Courtauld Society members will have an exclusive opportunity to attend an early morning preview on Friday 10 May before COLLECT opens to the general public.
Frieze New York
Fri 10 – Mon 13 May
VIP events begin Wed 8 May
Randall's Island Park, Manhattan, New York
For: Director’s Circle and Patrons’ Circle
Frieze New York is an international contemporary art fair that launched in May 2012. In 2013 the fair includes over 180 of the world’s leading galleries. We are delighted to offer Director’s Circle and Patrons’ Circle (on a first come first served basis) access to the Frieze New York VIP programme of art events. Art events include private views, talks, and evening receptions at some of the top exhibitions in town and celebrate a very exciting week in New York’s art calendar.
Samuel Courtauld Society Family Day
Sat 11 May 2 – 4pm
The Courtauld Institute of Art
For: Director’s Circle, Patrons’ Circle and
Associates
Join us for our annual family day of fun! This
fabulous event includes art games and the
chance to make works of art inspired by Picasso.
The day will be run by one of The Courtauld’s
experienced artist educators and is suitable for children aged between 4-10 years. A special tea party will conclude this enjoyable family event.
Contemporary Art Private Collection Visit
Mon 13 May 11am – 3pm
Nr Newbury, Reading
For: Director’s Circle
Exclusively for Director’s Circle members this is a unique opportunity to visit a superb collection of contemporary art works. The visit, accompanied by Prof Julian Stallabrass, will include a tour of the house featuring works by Gormley and Hirst, followed by a beautifully catered lunch and then a tour of the garden designed by Pascal Cribier.

Last Chance to See:
Becoming Picasso: Paris 1901
Tues 21 May 9 – 10am
The Courtauld Gallery
For: Director’s Circle, Patrons’ Circle and Associates
Due to the expected popularity of Becoming Picasso: Paris
1901 we are giving Samuel Courtauld Society members a
final chance to take part in a private tour of the exhibition
with its curator Dr Barnaby Wright prior to its closure on
Sunday 26 May.
IMAGE:Pablo Picasso Harlequin and Companion, 1901, The State Pushkin
Museum, Moscow © Succession Picasso/DACS, London 2013
The Courtauld at the Venice Biennale: Exclusive tours and receptions
Wed 29 May – Sat 1 Jun
Venice
For: Director’s Circle and Patrons’ Circle
Join Courtauld alumni in Venice for the start of this year’s Biennale, including a reception hosted by David Landau on 29 May at his beautiful canal fronted residence. We encourage you to book your hotel room in Venice as soon as possible as places get booked very quickly. Accommodation and travel advice available on request.
JUNE

Courtauld Expert Tour: Ely Cathedral
Mon 10 Jun 11.15am – 1.45pm
Ely
For: Director’s Circle and Patrons’ Circle
With its spiky corona rising dramatically above the
surrounding Fenlands, Ely cathedral is one of England’s
most spectacular medieval buildings. On this special trip,
Dr Tom Nickson (whose post is currently being supported
by the Friends of the Courtauld) will explore the cathedral’s
most famous features - its solemn Norman nave and the
jewelbox Lady Chapel - and also introduce some lesser-
known aspects. Included in the trip are visits to the top of
the Octagon and to Prior Crauden’s private chapel in the
Cathedral Close, normally closed to the public. An optional
lunch will follow with an opportunity to explore the town and
local galleries.
IMAGE: The Octagon
© Ely Cathedral

Preview: Collecting Gauguin: Samuel
Courtauld in the 20s
Wed 19 Jun 6.30 – 8pm
The Courtauld Gallery
For: Director’s Circle, Patrons’ Circle and
Associates
The Courtauld holds the UK’s most important
collection of works by the Post-Impressionist
master Paul Gauguin. This was assembled by
pioneering collector Samuel Courtauld and in this
special display his collection of Gauguin’s paintings, works on paper and sculpture is brought together for the first time. Dr Karen Serres, Schroder Foundation Curator of Paintings (MA 1998, PhD 2004) will introduce this summer showcase prior to its opening to the public.
IMAGE: Paul Gauguin Nevermore, 1897 © The Courtauld Gallery, London
Private Breakfast Viewing: Masterpiece London 2013
Fri 28 Jun, 9.30 – 11am
Royal Hospital Chelsea, London
For: Director’s Circle and Patrons’ Circle
Masterpiece London 2013 is an the illustrious showcase of fine art, antiques and design taking place at the South Grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea from 27 June to 3 July. The Courtauld has partnered with the fair to provide Samuel Courtauld Society members an exclusive breakfast viewing and tour of this world-class event.
JULY
Private Exhibition Tour: Lowry and the
Painting of Modern Life
Wed 10 Jul, 8.30 - 10.00am
Tate Britain
For: Director’s Circle, Patrons’ Circle and
Associates
This year sees a major exhibition of landscapes by
the much loved British painter L.S. Lowry, the first
show held by a public institution since the artist’s
death in 1976. Lowry and the Painting of Modern
Life brings together around 80 works, including Coming Out of School, 1927 and The Pond, 1950, alongside significant loans. The show is the result of an invitation to the distinguished art historians T.J. Clark and Anne M. Wagner to reappraise
Lowry for a new and extended audience and the exhibition takes its title from Clark’s seminal book, ‘The Painting of Modern Life: Paris in the Art of Manet and His Followers’. Without Lowry’s pictures of towns and cities, football matches and protest marches, Britain would arguably lack an account in paint of the experiences of the 20th century working classes. Samuel Courtauld Society members are invited to a private tour of this fascinating exhibition.
IMAGE: L.S. Lowry, Blitzed Site 1942 © The Lowry Collection, Salford
book now!
Please note that bookings are required for all events - thank you.
Please contact rsvp@courtauld.ac.uk or call +44 (0) 207 848 2056 stating the event, event date and number and names of guests.
Invitations and full information on all these events will be mailed or emailed to Samuel Courtauld Society members prior to the event.
If you are not a Samuel Courtauld Society member, but would like to join and attend these events, please contact Georgina Ralston on georgina.ralston@courtauld.ac.uk or +44 (0) 207 848 2194 or click here to join online.
Events Archive
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