Paul Mellon Lecture
Enlightened Eclecticism: The Grand Design of the 1st Duke and Duchess of Northumberland
Thu, Nov 3, 6:30–7:30 pm | Leslie Cheek Theater
DR. ADRIANO AYMONINO, Director of Undergraduate Programmes in the Department of History of Art at the University Of Buckingham and Programme Director for the MA in the Art Market and The History of Collecting
The central decades of the 18th century in Britain were crucial to the history of European taste and design. Among the period’s most important patrons and collectors were Sir Hugh Smithson and Lady Elizabeth Seymour Percy, the 1st Duke and Duchess of Northumberland. This lecture, based on the book Enlightened Eclecticism: The Grand Design of the 1st Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, examines the four houses they refurbished alongside the innumerable objects they collected and their persistent engagement in Georgian London’s public sphere. Their example sheds light on the eclectic taste of Georgian Britain, the emergence of neoclassicism and historicism, and the cultures of the Grand Tour and the Enlightenment.
Masks are strongly encouraged.
Free, tickets required.
Livestream Option: Can’t make it in-person? Livestream the event from the comfort of home. Simply tune in here at the scheduled event time. Free; no registration required.
