The 2026 John Hall Venice Course begins!

I know, I know, it's a bit late, but for some reason everything's been very hectic. Our London Week began, joyously with the group back in our beloved space in The National Gallery - which is not to say that our three years at The ICA were not fantastic...

We were welcomed, on the first day, by the wonderful Sir Gabriele Finaldi, director of The National Gallery, and then we launched into a series of presentations with subjects ranging from Fawaz Gerges' discussions of the emergence of the Islamic caliphate, the Ottoman Empire and now, the Time of Emperors, Climate Science, Patronage and Taste in the Royal Collection, Xan Brooks on 'Venice Through the Lens - a look at how the city was portrayed in film, Jeremy Howard on The Grand Tour, Venice in Peril and interspersed with visits; to The City and some of its seminal buildings, The Tate Modern and early morning private tours of Venetian Art in the National Gallery

We had our annual alumni get-together at The Travellers' Club; faces old and new!

and then off to Venice! Arriving in glorious sunshine (but rain rapidly followed!)

but the first week has flown by; brilliant lectures from Nigel McGilchrist, Rebecca Darley and Patrick Craig, our private, night time visit to The Basilica of San Marco (with Patrick singing again) and then off to Pomposa and Ravenna.

and the week ended at Geoffrey Humphries' studio for a fabulous party!