What are Study Days?

Starting at 10:00am and finishing at 3:00pm, Study Days provide three one-hour lectures, linked to a chosen theme. Coffee is served between the morning sessions, and a two-course lunch before the afternoon session. Study Days are held in Oxford at Rewley House, 1 Wellington Square, OX1 2JA, the home of the Oxford University Department of Continuing Education. The lecture theatre has up-to-date audio/visual equipment, including a hearing loop, and there is lift access.

The next Study Day

We are very pleased to announce that our next Study Day will be held on Friday 22nd May and will be titled Istanbul: city of faith, power and beauty.

The speaker will be Dr Antonia Gatward Cevizli. Antonia is an independent art historian specialising in both Italian Renaissance art and Ottoman art. She gained her PhD from the University of Warwick. Her publications focus on cultural and diplomatic exchange between the Italian city-states and the Ottomans. Antonia has lectured for a number of institutions including Sabancı University, Istanbul; Sotheby’s Institute of Art; the National Gallery; the V&A Academy and The Courtauld summer school. Her interests are wide-ranging and she has also worked across the collections of both Tate Modern and Tate Britain as a professional guide. She has lived in Siena, Venice and Istanbul.

Lecture 1. “The conquest of Constantinople and the making of Istanbul” In 1453 the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II conquered the much-coveted city of Constantinople and set about transforming it into his imperial capital. This lecture considers his approach to the existing monuments of the city and the earliest examples of Ottoman architecture in Istanbul, including Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar.

Lecture 2. “Treasures of Ottoman Istanbul: Süleyman the Magnificent’s era and beyond” The Ottoman Empire was at the peak of its power during the reign of Süleyman the Magnificent. Money was pouring into the Ottoman capital and being invested in architecture, ceramics, textiles and manuscripts. This lecture focuses on some of the treasures of this period. We will also move beyond Süleyman’s era and discuss the Blue Mosque and the ostentatious Dolmabahce Palace. We will think about the sultans who built these monuments and how they communicated ideas about themselves, their power and their place in the world.

Lecture 3. “Carnations, tulips and hyacinths: The story of Turkey’s Iznik ceramics” Immerse yourself in a world of carnations, tulips, hyacinths and roses as you discover the history of Turkey’s famous Iznik ceramics, from their origins imitating Chinese porcelain to their 16th century heyday and subsequent decline. The Ashmolean has some beautiful examples of Iznik ceramics: head for Gallery 31 Islamic Middle East to see them before or after the Study Day.

Timetable
09:30-09:50 registration
10:00-11:00 lecture 1
11:00-11:30 break for coffee/tea and biscuits
11:30-12:30 lecture 2
12:30-14:00 break for lunch
14:00-15:00 lecture 3

Cost
£50 per person. This includes the three lectures, tea/coffee and biscuits in the common room and a two-course buffet lunch (vegetarian and other options available) in the dining room.

Buying a ticket

TASO is using TicketSource for the booking process. The tickets will be sold on a first-come first-served basis and paid for by card at the time of purchase. You will not need to print them at home as the organisers will have a list of participants. If you try and buy after all the tickets have been sold, you will be able to add your name at no charge to a waiting list via the TicketSource website. Booking will open at 10:00am on Friday 10th April.

Cancelling
You can cancel by sending an email to tasoxford@gmail.com. Make sure you put Study Day in the subject line of the email. You will not receive a refund, but we will put you in touch with the next person on the waiting list (if there is one). You can then make your own arrangements. TicketSource provides its own insurance against cancellation if you choose to pay extra for it, but you are recommended to read the small print carefully.

Previous Study Days

To read about our previous study days click here

How do I contact the organisers?

If you would like any more general information about Study Days, please contact our organisers – Sue Hine, Bridget Watkins and Ann Bevan – at tasoxford@gmail.com. Make sure you put Study Day in the subject line of the email.

Wyvern Area Study Days

We are part of The Arts Society Wyvern Area and our members, and those on the waiting list, are welcome to take part in Wyvern area events. Further details click here