The Influences of China on Georgian Life
THE INFLUENCES OF CHINA ON GEORGIAN LIFE
To mark the Beijing Olympics this year and the important links between the East and West, Fairfax House has a series of Chinese activities.
There will be a series of special Chinoiserie Decoration tours (7 Mar, 2 May, 4 July, 5 Sept, 14 Nov at 3.30pm) to explore how British artists, craftsmen and decorators used examples of Chinese Art to inspire their designs for porcelain, furniture, sliver and wallpaper. This fashion reached its height at around the time Fairfax House was completed in 1762 and there are many examples on display in the House which have strong Chinese links. ‘A Taste for China’ exhibition (23 June – 31 Dec except 24, 25, 26 Dec) will celebrate the long established link between China and England. Fairfax House will be displaying travel journals about China on loan from Captain Cook Museum in Whitby, and examples of lacquerwork, porcelain, fans, mother of pearl and textiles. Tea tasting features with ‘Time for Tea’ (26 Sept, 3.30pm & 7pm) - an illustrated talk and a chance to sample a range of teas. Tea was imported in the 17th C in small quantities, at a huge cost, but by the end of the 18th C even the labourer in the fields would expect his cup of ‘cha’. This event is also part of the 2008 York Food & Drink Festival.
The decorative arts tours continue and this year will include: The English Bottom (9 April & 24 Sept at 7pm), looking at chairs in the Noel Terry collection dating from 1690 to 1840; Getting Plastered (20 Mar & 9 Oct, 7pm), unravels and explains the complex messages which Lord Fairfax and his Italian stuccoist, Giuseppe Cortese, designed for the ceilings at Fairfax House. The John Carr tour (20 April & 9 Nov at 12.30pm) looks at two of York’s finest Georgian townhouses, Fairfax House and Castlegate House and other Carr buildings nearby.
Due to popular demand, the Grandparents and Grandchildren tour will run again on Grandparents Day (7 Sept, 12.30pm) and during the whit half-term (30 May, 3.30pm) when there is the unique opportunity to find out more about how the Georgians lived from a young persons perspective, how they went to the toilet and who did the washing up! The Candlelight Tour (23 June & 22 July, 7pm) will give visitors a magical glimpse of what it was like to live and study by candlelight and finally there is a chance to explore the City with the Walking with the Georgians tour (13 July & 5 Oct, 10.30am to 1.30pm) visiting some of the Georgian treasures in the city which will include the Mansion House, the Assembly Rooms and John Carr’s famous Assizes.
Flowers and food are central to this year’s programme. There will be a special symposium on The Art of the Garden (19 Sept, 10am – 5pm) with guest speaker Mary Rose Blacker author of Flora Domestica - A History of British Flower Arranging 1500 – 193l and Peter Brown, Director of Fairfax House and author of Derby Porcelain, the work of floral and botanical artists. Through lectures and demonstrations, the experts explore how the products of the garden have been used over the centuries to decorate our homes. Following on from the symposium and inspired by the architecture and decorative features of the House and the collection, there will be a flower festival - Flowers in the English Country House (20 – 28 Sept) - with arrangements from the Acomb Flower Guild and a special guest arrangement by George Smith, one of the worlds most celebrated lecturers and demonstrators of flower decoration. Food lovers will enjoy a Jacobean Feast (7 Nov, 6.30pm) at Middlethorpe Hall in York. Guests will be joined by food historian Sara Paston Williams, author of the best selling book The Art of Dining who has worked alongside the head chef to provide a Jacobean meal full of interest and appeal.
Adrian Le Harivel, a curator at the National Gallery of Ireland, will give an illustrated lecture on Music in the 18th Century Country House (7 Dec, 2.30pm) where he will examine the evolution of country house music and highlight the context in which it was performed and played (this event is also part of the York Early Music Christmas Festival) and historian David Bostwick will talk about Banqueting Houses and the Banquet 1550-1700 (29 April, 7pm) and how the feast has changed over the centuries.
There are 3 exhibitions spread over the year starting with A Passion for Buildings exploring the Amateur Architect in England 1650-1850 (1 Mar to 1 June). Yorkshire is fortunate in having a number of distinguished buildings designed by architects like Lord Burlington, William Worsley and Sir Thomas Robinson. The exhibition, curated by the Sir John Soane’s Museum features a number of these exquisite drawings and includes others like the eccentric design for a romantic retreat by Ada Byron, only daughter of the famous poet. A Taste for China (23 June – 31 Dec) mentioned above and Christmas with Jane Austen (1 Dec to 31 Dec except 24, 25, 26 Dec) an annual exhibition showing family papers, diaries, household accounts and the writings of Jane Austen set alongside the traditional displays for the festive season.
Fairfax House Director, Peter Brown said: “We have expanded this year’s programme to look at different aspects of Georgian life and we hope that visitors will return several times during the course of the year to explore new areas. We are particularly delighted to be able to celebrate China this year and with a fascinating programme of events. Fairfax House is widely recognised as the finest Georgian townhouse in England and can be enjoyed and appreciated by the visitor to York as well as local residents.”
In addition to the above events, Fairfax House is open from 9th February to the end of December on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday 11am - 4.30pm and Sunday 1.30pm - 4.30pm for self-guided tours. Fridays guided tours only at 11am and 2pm.
For more information about any of the activities planned for 2008, please
visit Fairfax House website at www.fairfaxhouse.co.uk, email info@fairfaxhouse.co.uk or ring 01904 655543.
ends
Press Contacts:
Peter Brown Tel: 01904 655543 peterbrown@fairfaxhouse.co.uk
Melanie Paris Tel: 01904 647408 hello@melanieparis.com
To mark the Beijing Olympics this year and the important links between the East and West, Fairfax House has a series of Chinese activities.
There will be a series of special Chinoiserie Decoration tours (7 Mar, 2 May, 4 July, 5 Sept, 14 Nov at 3.30pm) to explore how British artists, craftsmen and decorators used examples of Chinese Art to inspire their designs for porcelain, furniture, sliver and wallpaper. This fashion reached its height at around the time Fairfax House was completed in 1762 and there are many examples on display in the House which have strong Chinese links. ‘A Taste for China’ exhibition (23 June – 31 Dec except 24, 25, 26 Dec) will celebrate the long established link between China and England. Fairfax House will be displaying travel journals about China on loan from Captain Cook Museum in Whitby, and examples of lacquerwork, porcelain, fans, mother of pearl and textiles. Tea tasting features with ‘Time for Tea’ (26 Sept, 3.30pm & 7pm) - an illustrated talk and a chance to sample a range of teas. Tea was imported in the 17th C in small quantities, at a huge cost, but by the end of the 18th C even the labourer in the fields would expect his cup of ‘cha’. This event is also part of the 2008 York Food & Drink Festival.
The decorative arts tours continue and this year will include: The English Bottom (9 April & 24 Sept at 7pm), looking at chairs in the Noel Terry collection dating from 1690 to 1840; Getting Plastered (20 Mar & 9 Oct, 7pm), unravels and explains the complex messages which Lord Fairfax and his Italian stuccoist, Giuseppe Cortese, designed for the ceilings at Fairfax House. The John Carr tour (20 April & 9 Nov at 12.30pm) looks at two of York’s finest Georgian townhouses, Fairfax House and Castlegate House and other Carr buildings nearby.
Due to popular demand, the Grandparents and Grandchildren tour will run again on Grandparents Day (7 Sept, 12.30pm) and during the whit half-term (30 May, 3.30pm) when there is the unique opportunity to find out more about how the Georgians lived from a young persons perspective, how they went to the toilet and who did the washing up! The Candlelight Tour (23 June & 22 July, 7pm) will give visitors a magical glimpse of what it was like to live and study by candlelight and finally there is a chance to explore the City with the Walking with the Georgians tour (13 July & 5 Oct, 10.30am to 1.30pm) visiting some of the Georgian treasures in the city which will include the Mansion House, the Assembly Rooms and John Carr’s famous Assizes.
Flowers and food are central to this year’s programme. There will be a special symposium on The Art of the Garden (19 Sept, 10am – 5pm) with guest speaker Mary Rose Blacker author of Flora Domestica - A History of British Flower Arranging 1500 – 193l and Peter Brown, Director of Fairfax House and author of Derby Porcelain, the work of floral and botanical artists. Through lectures and demonstrations, the experts explore how the products of the garden have been used over the centuries to decorate our homes. Following on from the symposium and inspired by the architecture and decorative features of the House and the collection, there will be a flower festival - Flowers in the English Country House (20 – 28 Sept) - with arrangements from the Acomb Flower Guild and a special guest arrangement by George Smith, one of the worlds most celebrated lecturers and demonstrators of flower decoration. Food lovers will enjoy a Jacobean Feast (7 Nov, 6.30pm) at Middlethorpe Hall in York. Guests will be joined by food historian Sara Paston Williams, author of the best selling book The Art of Dining who has worked alongside the head chef to provide a Jacobean meal full of interest and appeal.
Adrian Le Harivel, a curator at the National Gallery of Ireland, will give an illustrated lecture on Music in the 18th Century Country House (7 Dec, 2.30pm) where he will examine the evolution of country house music and highlight the context in which it was performed and played (this event is also part of the York Early Music Christmas Festival) and historian David Bostwick will talk about Banqueting Houses and the Banquet 1550-1700 (29 April, 7pm) and how the feast has changed over the centuries.
There are 3 exhibitions spread over the year starting with A Passion for Buildings exploring the Amateur Architect in England 1650-1850 (1 Mar to 1 June). Yorkshire is fortunate in having a number of distinguished buildings designed by architects like Lord Burlington, William Worsley and Sir Thomas Robinson. The exhibition, curated by the Sir John Soane’s Museum features a number of these exquisite drawings and includes others like the eccentric design for a romantic retreat by Ada Byron, only daughter of the famous poet. A Taste for China (23 June – 31 Dec) mentioned above and Christmas with Jane Austen (1 Dec to 31 Dec except 24, 25, 26 Dec) an annual exhibition showing family papers, diaries, household accounts and the writings of Jane Austen set alongside the traditional displays for the festive season.
Fairfax House Director, Peter Brown said: “We have expanded this year’s programme to look at different aspects of Georgian life and we hope that visitors will return several times during the course of the year to explore new areas. We are particularly delighted to be able to celebrate China this year and with a fascinating programme of events. Fairfax House is widely recognised as the finest Georgian townhouse in England and can be enjoyed and appreciated by the visitor to York as well as local residents.”
In addition to the above events, Fairfax House is open from 9th February to the end of December on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday 11am - 4.30pm and Sunday 1.30pm - 4.30pm for self-guided tours. Fridays guided tours only at 11am and 2pm.
For more information about any of the activities planned for 2008, please
visit Fairfax House website at www.fairfaxhouse.co.uk, email info@fairfaxhouse.co.uk or ring 01904 655543.
ends
Press Contacts:
Peter Brown Tel: 01904 655543 peterbrown@fairfaxhouse.co.uk
Melanie Paris Tel: 01904 647408 hello@melanieparis.com