Events at the National Galleries of Scotland

Rudsambee - Thursday, 20th June 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 14:29:11

Rudsambee Company of Singers is an a capella choir based in Edinburgh whose exciting and varied programs place Western classical music, old and new, alongside diverse pieces from around the world including Indian ragas, Estonian folk music and contemporary American choral music.

Re-introducing Frederic Edwin Church - Friday, 21st June 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 14:14:10

Dr Gerald Carr has been studying Frederic Edwin Church and compatriot Hudson River School artists since 1978. In his talk, he will discuss Church and Church's art from several perspectives. Church’s Scottish-accented British connections premised his lifetime national and international renown. Hence, besides being a gifted, peripatetic, by turns pensive and pranksterish American painter, Church was also fundamentally and functionally a Victorian. In addition, he was a lifelong enthusiast of outdoor sketching; pater familias of his upstate, New York home, Olana; and, of course, creator of the Edinburgh Niagara Falls, from the American Side, 1867. Owned by the NGS since 1887, and Church's lifetime largest painting, the 1867 Niagara can be interpreted allegorically, as a cleansing post-American Civil War Deluge.

Opening Lecture: Man Ray Portraits - Saturday, 22nd June 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-14 11:27:24

Terence Pepper, Curator of Photographs at the National Portrait Gallery, London and curator of the Man Ray Portraits exhibition, is in conversation with Christopher Baker, Director of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. Together they will discuss the ideas behind the exhibition, the first museum retrospective to focus specifically on the artist’s work in the realm of photographic portraiture.

Meet the Ancestors - Adventure Tales of the Jacobites - Sunday, 23rd June 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-10 14:29:35

Join Storyteller Fiona Herbert and hear about the Jacobites and their battle to reclaim the throne. (Ages 4-12)

An Introduction to Modern Art - Looking June - Monday, 24th June 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-03-21 09:21:26

These informal monthly sessions are designed to help participants develop an understanding and appreciation of modern art with friendly discussion in the gallery space and an explanation of basic terms and styles of modern and contemporary art. Each stand-alone session is guided by art historian Ola Wojtkiewicz.

Joseph Beuys: Art as Redemption? - Monday, 24th June 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 14:18:27

This talk by Dr Debbie Lewer, Senior Lecturer in History of Art at the University of Glasgow, will consider the work of the post-war German artist Joseph Beuys (1921-1986). Focusing on a selection of works currently on show in the From Death to Death and Other Small Tales exhibition, we will discuss themes of personal and collective trauma and redemption and Beuys’s concept of ‘social sculpture’.

Miró and Sculpture: The Making - Tuesday, 25th June 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 14:21:44

'I'm an old painter, but a young sculptor,' said my grandfather to his friend Alexander Calder in 1973, when he turned 80 years old. There are many links between Miró's painting and sculpture that can be found in both means of expression. The making of one sculpture can be axed apart and put back together again with the help of an introspective scrutiny. Miró, Moore, Hepworth, Calder, Picasso and Brancusi were living galaxies interconnected within the universe of the 20th-century sculpture, and there are many readings to be made between them all. A special guest lecture by Joan Punyet Miró, grandson of Joan Miró, on the recent installation of two sculptures by the artist on long-loan to the Gallery of Modern Art.

National Gallery Highlights Tours - June 2013 - Saturday, 29th June 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 14:49:04

An introduction to and tour of the National Gallery's permanent collection, focusing on key paintings. Meet at the main entrance.

The Gallery Book Lounge: The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas by Gertrude Stein - Sunday, 30th June 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-04-05 09:53:11

National Galleries of Scotland’s book group for lovers of art and reading. This month's book by experimental American Modernist writer Gertrude Stein, is a fascinating autobiographical chronicle of the vibrant artistic world of Paris in the 1920s and 30s. Alice and Gertrude, pictured in their apartment surrounded by modern art by the most famous artists of the day, feature in a portrait by Man Ray included in our exhibition Man Ray Portraits. As Gertrude wrote, the photographer Man Ray made portraits of Picasso, Hemingway, Matisse, Peggy Guggenheim and many more icons of their times. Ticket price includes entry to Man Ray Portraits, a chaired discussion of the book and a coffee or tea in the café. Books not supplied but available at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery shop. This is a book group and we will be discussing the book, so please read the book before the event.

After Icebergs with a Painter. Frederic Church and his Northern Landscapes - Tuesday, 2nd July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 15:05:05

The portrayal of ice and snow in Western landscape pictures with the exception of some 16th and early 17th-century Dutch Masters is notably absent until the time of Frederic Edwin Church. As the 19th century progressed and new discoveries provided evidence of direct relationships between ice, the evolution of the Earth and its surface appearance, this phenomena became controversially involved with religious and scientific convictions surrounding the Creation. Church and his studies of icebergs, made as a result of a specially commissioned voyage around Labrador and Newfoundland in 1859 changed public perception of the massive formations and their meaning on both sides of the Atlantic. He achieved the aim of Alexander von Humboldt whose works he collected and admired which was for artists ‘to illustrate through heroic landscapes a means to portray the essential characteristics of the distinct zones of the Earth.’ His monumental painting, Icebergs 1861 as a study of combined grandeur and divinity has never, arguably, been bettered. A talk by Trevor Ware, maritime historian.

James Douglas, 14th Earl of Morton, 1702 - 1768, and his Family by Jeremiah Davison - Wednesday, 3rd July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 15:06:35

Jeremiah Davison’s engaging painting of James Douglas, 14th Earl of Morton and his family was commissioned for their new house at Dalmahoy. Ailsa Turner, art historian discusses the image and future hopes the painting projects and the extent to which it reflects the realities and, ideals of family life in the early eighteenth century.

Inspired by Man Ray: A Two-day Experimental Photography Course - Thursday, 4th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-03-22 10:11:29

Led by photographer Alicia Bruce, create surrealist portraits combining digital photographs and experimental camera-less Rayograph techniques in our black & white darkroom. Course begins with a visit to the exhibition.

Books in Focus: Ed Ruscha - Thursday, 4th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 14:56:25

Our series of Books in Focus sessions focuses on artists’ books held in the special collections of the Gallery of Modern Art. This session will focus on the artist books produced by American artist Ed Ruscha between 1964 to 2005. A pioneer of the movement to produce inexpensive and accessible books, they remain a key part of his artistic output: as he said in 1972, ‘If there is any facet in my work that I feel was kissed by angels, I’d say it was my books.'

Live Music Now: Marie-Claire Breen and Christopher Baxter - Thursday, 4th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 16:40:57

In celebration of American Independence Day, the established soprano and piano duo Marie Claire Breen and Christopher Baxter take you on a journey to America, presenting a varied song programme including songs by Barber, Strauss and Gershwin.

Scottish Art in Focus: Alexander Nasmyth (1758-1840) - Friday, 5th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 15:08:13

Nasmyth is today best known as a painter of Scottish landscapes and town scenes, and as the artist who recorded his friend Robert Burns in portraits which have become the standard images of the poet. But this Edinburgh artist was also much more: an architect and theatre designer, celebrated engineer and inventor, teacher and adviser. Dr Patricia Andrew, freelance art historian, examines Nasmyth's wide-ranging interests and achievements.

From Death to Death and Other Small Tales: By Night - Friday, 5th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-23 15:13:02

The first of our newly-launched, bespoke By Night events takes place in the fascinating exhibition From Death to Death and Other Small Tales, which explores ideas of the body and the human condition. There will be pop-talks by curators, a performance by Edinburgh-based artist Catherine Street, intimate acoustic performances from Withered Hand, Wounded Knee and Small Feet Little Toes plus a bar and DJ set. Not to be missed!

Portrait Gallery Thematic Tours: Animals in Portraiture - Saturday, 6th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 14:54:18

Thematic, changing tours of the Portrait Gallery's collection. This month's tour will be led by Abby Ingham. Working animals, pets, symbols of wealth, trophies from the hunt, or clues to the sitter's personality — portraits help to document our ever-changing relationship with animals.

Art Cart - July - Sunday, 7th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-10 14:22:16

Free drop-in art activities for all the family led by artists Tessa Asquith-Lamb and Paula Flavell. Each month there's something new to create inspired by different works from the collection or exhibitions. Supported by the Friends of the National Galleries of Scotland. (Ages 4-12)

Bodies of Work: From Barney to Gober and Other Tales - Monday, 8th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 15:09:40

Throughout the work of both Matthew Barney and Robert Gober we find perversely hybridized bodies, strangely fragmented body parts, bodies integrated into architectural space, and bodies shaped by desire. Dr Dominic Paterson, University of Glasgow, will investigate and contextualise the distinctive approaches each of these important and influential artists takes to the representation of the human body.

Landscape Painting Inspired by Edwin Fredric Church - Tuesday, 9th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-03-22 10:11:50

Frederic Edwin Church, the great 19th century American landscape painter, was famous for the clarity and brilliance of his outdoor colour studies. To correspond with our Frederic Church exhibition, artist David Forster will lead a two-day outdoor workshop exploring how to get the best from colour sketching.

The Drawing Room - July 2013 - Thursday, 11th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 14:51:14

Experimental, artist-led drawing sessions inspired by the Gallery of Modern Art's current exhibition, From Death to Death and Other Small Tales.

Antiques Roadshow - Thursday, 11th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-06-13 10:34:20

The Antiques Roadshow is headed to the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art this summer. On Thursday 11 July, the Gallery grounds on Belford Road will be the setting for the popular BBC One programme hosted by presenter Fiona Bruce. She will be joined by some of Britain’s leading antiques and fine arts specialists ready to offer free advice and valuations. Visitors are invited to search their attics and check over their mantelpieces for family heirlooms and household treasures for the team to appraise in the Edinburgh sunshine. Anyone in the queue by 4.30pm will be guaranteed to see an expert. The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art is located just 10 minutes walk from the west end of Princes Street. We run a free regular bus service between the Scottish National Gallery and the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. View the bus timetable.

Portrait Gallery Insights: Tickling Jock: Comedy Greats from Sir Harry Lauder to Billy Connolly - Thursday, 11th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 15:01:13

Imogen Gibbon, Chief Curator and Deputy Director at the Portrait Gallery, gives an insight into the Tickling Jock exhibition which celebrates Scotland's 20th-century comedy greats.

Saturday Life Drawing Class - Morning & Afternoon Sessions July - Saturday, 13th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-03-20 15:05:42

See how others have portrayed the human figure, then work from a model. Led by artist Graham Flack. All materials supplied. Suitable for all levels of experience.

Highlight Tours of From Death to Death and Other Small Tales - July 2013 - Saturday, 13th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 14:46:04

Tours of the Gallery of Modern Art's new exhibition, From Death to Death and Other Small Tales which features works from the permanent collection and the private holdings of modern and contemporary art from the D.Daskalapoulos Collection.

Saturday could be Creative Writing Day - July - Saturday, 13th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-03-20 15:29:04

Monthly morning sessions. Enjoy touring a small selection of works from the permanent collection, or temporary exhibitions, based on a different theme each month, led by Emily Learmont. Looking this month at the Man Ray exhibition. Author Regi Claire will then lead an inspiring creative writing workshop.

Caddie Capers - How Edinburgh Changed the World - Saturday, 13th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-10 14:49:39

Join our cheeky caddies for stories, songs and fun as we launch Edinburgh World Heritage's brand new free resource for children all about the Scottish Enlightenment. (Ages 4-12)

Portrait Detectives! - July - Sunday, 14th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-10 14:24:02

Join Detectives Raeburn and Rothko and become a Portrait Detective for the afternoon. Collect your hat, follow clues and help solve the mysteries behind our portraits. Supported by the Friends of the National Galleries of Scotland. (Ages 4-12)

Man Ray: Photographing Dreams - Wednesday, 17th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 15:16:10

Man Ray and his surrealist colleagues have been an immense, continuing influence on photographic artists, especially in Europe. Robin Gillanders examines this important challenge to realism and looks at other major practitioners since the thirties and up to the present day.

Visually Impaired Tour and Workshop - Man Ray Portraits - Wednesday, 17th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-10 14:09:03

A free descriptive tour and practical workshop, led by Juliana Capes for the Visually Impaired.

In the Orchard by Sir James Guthrie - Thursday, 18th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 15:18:21

Frances Fowle, Senior Curator at the Scottish National Gallery, explores in depth this important recent acquisition, a major work by the inspirational leader of the Glasgow Boys. The painting was jointly acquired by the National Galleries of Scotland and Glasgow Life with the help of the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Art Fund.

Live Music Now: Knox and Ion - Thursday, 18th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 16:42:42

Knox & Ion are a newly formed guitar duo, blending a sumptuous and virtuosic mix of Latin, world and jazz music, as well as dynamic and original compositions. For their National Galleries of Scotland debut, they are delighted to respond to the Man Ray Portraits exhibition with music of the 1920s to 1960s as heard in the smoky jazz clubs of Paris and New York, focusing on the sounds and influence that Django Reinhardt has had to the present day.

Introduction to Wood Engraving - A Two-Day Practical Course - Friday, 19th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-03-22 10:14:13

Led by Jonathan Gibbs master engraver and Head of Illustration at Edinburgh College of Art, this course will start with a visit to the Print Room to view some specially selected works from the Prints and Drawings Collection. Participants will be shown various methods of engraving, how to develop their ideas and take printed impressions from the block. Places limited.

Portrait Gallery Architecture Tours - July 2013 - Saturday, 20th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 14:48:01

Monthly architecture tours of the magnificent Arts and Crafts building designed by Sir Robert Rowand Anderson.

Opening Lecture: Ken Currie in Conversation with Julie Lawson - Saturday, 20th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 15:20:11

Ken Currie is one of the outstanding figurative painters of his generation. In celebration of his new exhibition of paintings on show at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Currie will be in conversation with Julie Lawson, Chief Curator at the Portrait Gallery. They will discuss these new works which mediate upon the idea of the portrait, its origins and purposes and continued significance in the modern world.

SOLD OUT - Sleepover under the stars! - Saturday, 20th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-10 14:53:33

This sleepover is now sold out. The next sleepover is scheduled for spring 2014. This Summer, treat your family to a once-in-a-lifetime sleepover experience at the Portrait Gallery! Find out more www.nationalgalleries.org/sleepovers (Ages 7-11)

Hearing Impaired Tours - Man Ray Portraits - Sunday, 21st July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-10 14:18:35

A free tour with portable loops for the hearing impaired, led by Tessa Asquith Lamb.

Bags of Art - July - Sunday, 21st July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-10 14:26:01

Cool and creative fun with artists Louise Fraser and Tessa Asquith-Lamb. Supported by the Friends of the National Galleries of Scotland. (Ages 4-12)

Eduardo Paolozzi and Science Fiction - Monday, 22nd July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 15:24:13

David Brittain, Senior Lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University and author of The Jet Age Compendium: Paolozzi at Ambit 1967–1980, will discuss Paolozzi’s lifelong obsession with science fiction and its prevalence in his sculpture, collages and prints. The talk will take place in the Paolozzi Gallery, amidst the artworks on display in Space Age Archaeology: Eduardo Paolozzi and Science Fiction. David Brittain’s latest book Paolozzi at New Worlds: Science Fiction and Pop Art in the 1960s will be published to coincide with the display.

Staycation! - 22nd July to 18th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-10 14:57:25

Take off on a magical journey of the imagination this summer, all without stepping foot on a plane! Pick up a passport and create your own fantasy holiday destinations, collecting stamps as you go. (Ages 4-12)

Portraiture for Beginners - A One-Day Practical Course - Tuesday, 23rd July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-03-22 10:23:20

Led by artist Haleh Jamali, explore a range of portraits considering the intentions of both sitter and artist and the use of line, colour, form, composition and technique. Simple warm up exercises will then lead on to a final portrait using acrylic paints and working from a model.

Frederic Edwin Church and the Hudson River School - Tuesday, 23rd July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 15:26:04

One of the most spectacular paintings in Scotland – and in the United Kingdom – is the Scottish National Gallery’s huge picture of Niagara by Frederic Edwin Church (1826-1900). In addition to being impressive both in scale in subject matter, it is a masterpiece by one of the nineteenth-century’s greatest landscape painters. But we in Britain know all too little about the American master who attained great heights in the field of landscape after our own heroes of the Romantic period – Constable, Turner, Wilkie and the rest – had passed into history. Church was a pupil of Thomas Cole, who was born in Lancashire and is regarded as the first great American landscapist, founding father of the famous Hudson River School. Church became the doyen of that school, building himself an extraordinary home high above the Hudson, overlooking a view that he painted many times. Andrew Wilton, art historian, looks at his achievement, along with that of Cole and the other Americans who put on canvas for the first time the breath-taking mountain panoramas, waterfalls and deserts of the New World.

National Gallery Highlights Tours - July 2013 - Saturday, 27th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 14:49:28

An introduction to and tour of the National Gallery's permanent collection, focusing on key paintings. Meet at the main entrance.

Opening Lecture: Witches & Wicked Bodies - Saturday, 27th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 15:30:23

Artist Deanna Petherbridge, guest curator of the exhibition Witches & Wicked Bodies, explains how she came to be interested in the subject and her amazement that images of women as hideous hags or dangerously beautiful harlots have had such a long history in Western Art. These persistent representations of female witches are not only the stuff of horror and misogyny, but madly exaggerated ‘gothic’ images or droll caricatures in the hands of artists as different as Salvator Rosa, Francisco Goya, Henry Fuseli or Cindy Sherman.

The Gallery Book Lounge: Miguel Street by V.S.Naipaul - Sunday, 28th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-04-05 10:04:19

National Galleries of Scotland’s book group for lovers of art and reading. This month’s book is the first novel by Trinidadian-British writer and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, V.S.Naipaul. The book, set at the end of World War II and narrated by a young boy, paints a picture of some of the characters that live in Trinidad’s Port of Spain. The book’s location relates to the work of Edinburgh born Peter Doig, who has lived in Trinidad for much of his life and whose evocative, magic realist paintings are inspired by found photographs, memories, sightings or stories. Ticket price includes entry to Peter Doig, a chaired discussion of the book and a coffee or tea in the Scottish Restaurant café. Books not supplied. This is a book group and we will be discussing the book, so please read the book before the event.

The Gallery Book Lounge: The Leopard by Tomasi Di Lampedusa - Sunday, 28th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-04-05 10:07:26

National Galleries of Scotland’s book group for lovers of art and reading. This month’s book has been chosen by Ken Currie to accompany his exhibition. The Leopard (Il Gattopardo) is a classic and much-praised history novel. It tells the story of a 19th century Sicilian, Prince Don Fabrizio Corbera. The book has been a great influence on Currie’s work. The central themes of the story echo those represented by the unnerving fictional portraits and places of Ken’s mesmerising paintings – life and death, immortality, political power and ruin. Ticket price includes entry to Ken Currie, a chaired discussion of the book and a coffee or tea in the café. Books not supplied but available from the Scottish National Portrait Gallery shop. This is a book group and we will be discussing the book, so please read the book before the event.

Meet the Ancestors - Tales from the Forest - Sunday, 28th July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-10 14:32:07

Step into our imaginary forest glade and hear traditional tales about the natural world, told by storyteller Susan Wilson. (Ages 4-12)

Ken Currie and Contemporary Portraiture - Wednesday, 31st July 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 15:35:00

Martin Hammer, Professor of History and Philosophy of Art at the University of Kent Canterbury, will consider how Currie and other artists have adapted the tradition of painted portraiture to articulate contemporary ideas of the self.

Books in Focus: Alan Davie - Thursday, 1st August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 15:00:14

Our series of Books in Focus sessions focuses on artists’ books held in the special collections of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. This session will focus on books by Scottish artist and jazz musician Alan Davie (born in Grangemouth, 1920) and will be a rare opportunity to view publications including Magic Reader (1988).

Alina Bzhezhinksa - Thursday, 1st August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 16:44:13

International harpist Alina Bzhezhinska brings her new project to the National Gallery. This time her inspiration lies in the art of Frederic Church, who was greatly influenced by the various landscapes encountered on his travels. Alina will perform her personal favourite collection of music drawn from the four corners of the earth.

'Round about the Cauldron': The Witchcraft Scenes of Salvator Rosa - Friday, 2nd August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 15:37:13

Salvator Rosa's witchcraft scenes are amongst the strangest and most bizarre of 17th-century paintings. Dr Helen Langdon, curator of the exhibition Salvator Rosa; Bandits, Wilderness and Magic at Dulwich Picture Gallery, 2010, explores how they may be read; as parody or satire; as part of a Florentine literary taste for the macabre and astonishing; or as dark works that suggest the social realities and obsessive fears of baroque Italy.

Portrait Gallery Thematic Tours: Highlights from the Collection - Saturday, 3rd August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 14:55:03

Thematic, changing tours of the Portrait Gallery's collection. This month, Susanna Kerr, former Senior Curator, Portrait Gallery, will focus on key works in the Portrait Gallery's collection.

Opening Lecture: Peter Doig in Conversation with Keith Hartley - Saturday, 3rd August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 15:41:50

Edinburgh-born Peter Doig is one of the most internationally renowned painters working today. To celebrate the first major exhibition of Doig’s work in Scotland, the artist will be in conversation with Keith Hartley, Chief Curator at the Gallery of Modern Art. They will discuss Doig's paintings and works on paper created over the last 10 years, in particular, exploring his approach to serial motifs and recurring imagery.

Peter Doig No Foreign Lands: Curator's Tour - Monday, 5th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-14 12:46:13

Julie-Ann Delaney, Curator at the Gallery of Modern Art, gives a tour of the Peter Doig exhibition, in this the first major showing of his work in the country of his birth.

Man Ray’s Women - Tuesday, 6th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 15:46:09

Man Ray’s photographic portraits of his fellow artists, models, friends and patrons are amongst the most defining images of the European and American avant-garde from the 1920s onwards. Dr Dorothy Rowe, University of Bristol, will focus specifically on a selection of his portraits of women in relation to the wider networks of the avant-garde in which the photographer and his female sitters circulated.

Tickling Jock: By Night (7 August) - Wednesday, 7th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-23 15:19:36

See the Scottish National Portrait Gallery with the Scottish comedy greats after hours. For two nights only during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (Wed 7 & Wed 21 August), enjoy pop-up performances, tours of the exhibition Tickling Jock: Comedy Greats from Sir Harry Lauder to Billy Connolly, a bar and cabaret seating, very special ‘In Conversations’ featuring some of Scotland’s best-known comedians. Already confirmed are Des Clarke and Scott Agnew, reprising Francie and Josie (7 Aug) and Agnew returns (21 Aug) with a very special tribute to the influential Chic Murray. More details to be announced shortly. See also Wednesday 21 August 2013.

The Drawing Room - August 2013 - Thursday, 8th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 14:51:40

Experimental, artist-led drawing sessions inspired by the Gallery of Modern Art's current exhibition, From Death to Death and Other Small Tales.

Aquillos Ensemble - Thursday, 8th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 16:46:03

The Aquillos Ensemble respond to the Man Ray Portraits exhibition, playing works by Satie, Poulenc and Taffanel all composed in the late 19th and early 20th century, and Zemlinsky's last composition, Humoreske.

Portrait Gallery Insights: Ken Currie - Thursday, 8th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 15:02:16

Julie Lawson, Chief Curator at the Portrait Gallery, gives a talk on the new work by Scottish artist Ken Currie.

Understanding Modern Art - A Two-Day Course - Friday, 9th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-03-22 10:37:39

Led by artist Esther Cohen, this course is a practical introduction for understanding the abstract language of modern art. Using a series of special exercises participants will explore how the principle visual elements of line, shape, tone, colour, texture, form, scale, space and light are used by artists to express themselves in a visual way.

Highlight Tours of From Death to Death and Other Small Tales - August 2013 - Saturday, 10th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 14:46:34

Tours of the Gallery of Modern Art's exhibition, From Death to Death and Other Small Tales which features works from the permanent collection and the private holdings of modern and contemporary art from the D.Daskalapoulos Collection.

Ruskin Live! - 12th to 16th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 16:07:26

In 1853, the great art critic John Ruskin delivered four lectures at the Philosophical Institution in Queen Street, Edinburgh. His themes were Gothic Architecture versus Classical, Turner and the European Landscape tradition, and the emergent group of artists who called themselves ‘The Pre-Raphaelites’. His brilliant and controversial lectures have exerted their influence ever since. Following sell-out performances in 2011 and 2012, the actor and art historian Paul O’Keeffe recreates the four lectures given by the great Victorian art critic. 12 August: Architecture I (1hr 15mins) 13 August: Architecture II (1hr 15mins) 15 August: Turner and his Works (1hr 15mins) 16 August: Pre-Raphaelitism (1hr 15mins)

Man Ray the Magic Man - Tuesday, 13th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 15:54:25

Lee Miller was one of Man Ray’s artistic collaborators and together in Paris in the heyday of Surrealism, they discovered the technique of solarisation which became the hallmark of their artistic assocation. In their youth, they were lovers and this evolved into an enduring friendship in later life. Antony Penrose, son of Roland Penrose and Lee Miller, shares his unique perspective of growing up surrounded by his parents' Surrealist friends. He adored Man Ray who in turn encouraged Antony to make his own objects and puns. As the Director of the Lee Miller Archives and the Penrose Collection, he has been working on the conservation and dissemination of his parents work for over 30 years.

Hero as Riddle - Wednesday, 14th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 16:48:35

Inspired by the amazing creations of Edinburgh-born artist Eduardo Paolozzi, the award-winning Hero As Riddle suite was originally composed in 2008 by renowned saxophonist Martin Kershaw. As a celebration of the incredible scope and energy of Paolozzi’s work, the music revels in a dizzyingly wide variety of styles, from the lumbering menace of His Majesty The Wheel to the skittering insanity of Hamlet In A Japanese Manner. The suite was written specifically for a 10-piece group of Scotland's very best musicians, who will reunite for this very special concert as part of the Made In Scotland showcase. For further details visit: www.madeinscotlandshowcase.com. For more information about Martin Kershaw, visit: http://soundcloud.com/martinkershaw and www.martinkershaw.co.uk

Carry on Tickling: The Heyday of Scottish Variety Theatre - Wednesday, 14th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-14 11:24:19

Vivien Devlin, Arts & Travel writer and author of Kings, Queens and People’s Palaces: An Oral History of the Scottish Variety Theatre, 1920-1970, explores the culture of Scottish popular entertainment, looking at some of the best-loved comedians and performers who feature in our current exhibition, Tickling Jock.

Flights of Fancy, an Experimental One-Day Practical Workshop - Thursday, 15th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-03-22 10:47:51

Led by artist Campbell Sandilands and taking its initial inspiration from the work of David Hammons, featured in the From Death to Death and Other Small Tales exhibition, participants will create their own mini-installations. Following instructions for the execution of Hammons's wall-based work Flights of Fancy, create your own rolled shapes as a background for forming 3D shapes in wire and jewels.

Rosie Nimmo and Stuart Allardyce - Thursday, 15th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 16:50:13

Rosie Nimmo (vocals) and Stuart Allardyce (guitar) will present a programme of music and songs inspired by Man Ray and his contemporaries. Evoking Paris of the 20s and 30s, they will explore jazz and contemporary music of the period that helped shape the imagery and imagination of this great artist.

The Portrait of Mademoiselle Claus by Édouard Manet - Friday, 16th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 15:59:21

Fanny Claus was a close friend of Suzanne Leenhoff, Manet's wife. This portrait was painted at an early stage in the development of one of the artist's most celebrated compositions, The Balcony, exhibited in 1869 (now in the Musee d'Orsay). It was bought at the sale of Manet's studio by John Singer Sargent, and remained with his descendants until its recent purchase by the Ashmolean. Colin Harrison, Senior Assistant Keeper at the Ashmolean Museum, explores the origins and function of the portrait, and what it tells us about Manet's methods and intentions.

Fine White Work - A Four-Week Traditional Embroidery Course - Saturday, 17th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-03-22 10:51:16

Led by Helen McCook, teacher at the Royal School of Needlework, Hampton Court Palace. This course will introduce the art of fine white work embroidery techniques including fabric layering, net embroidery, a range of surface stitches, Broderie Anglaise style eyelets and pulled thread work inspired by the delicately wrought depictions of lace throughout the gallery. Please bring clean sharp embroidery scissors and a ten inch ring frame, pre- bound with cotton/calico strips.

Portrait Gallery Architecture Tours - August 2013 - Saturday, 17th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 14:48:30

Monthly architecture tours of the magnificent Arts and Crafts building designed by Sir Robert Rowand Anderson.

The Potency of the Performed Act - Monday, 19th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 16:01:42

Sally O'Reilly, writer and author of The Body in Contemporary Art considers the impact of performance, how this differs from that of the art object, and the aesthetic invention achieved when artists use the body in the world as a means to articulate political positions.

Naked Nudes: Comedy Tour of the National Gallery - Tuesday, 20th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 16:55:44

Join Australian comedian Hannah Gadsby on a tour of the National Gallery in her new art show. It’s all about nudes, but don’t worry there will be plenty of well-placed cloth and fig action for the prudish at heart! If you’ve always wanted to know about why there is so much naked flesh in art, then this is the show for you.

Fatal Magic: The Attractions of Witchcraft - Tuesday, 20th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-16 09:10:21

The power of spells and charms can bring about metamorphosis - of the witch herself or of her victims. Bodies change into other forms, are disfigured or transfigured. Once approached with fear and loathing by mostly male artists, the witch now exercises fascination for women interpreters. Writer Marina Warner will look at the way seductive sorceresses in myth and fairy tale have been portrayed including Circe, Vivien, and Peri Banou from The Arabian Nights.

The Tale of the Brush: A Year of Haiku and Calligraphy (Summer) A One-Day Course - Wednesday, 21st August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-03-21 12:19:41

Artist Campbell Sandilands and writer Helen Boden lead this unique set of four classes, each one matched to the mood of the season. A small selection of Japanese prints in the Galleries’ collection, tales of Campbell’s time living and working in Japan, and readings of haiku provide a starting point for what promises to be a thought provoking experience of writing and brush calligraphy. Saturday 21 September, Autumn Saturday 11 January, Winter TBC, Spring

Tickling Jock: By Night (21 August) - Wednesday, 21st August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-23 15:19:45

The Mademi Clarinet Quartet - Thursday, 22nd August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 16:51:46

Inspired by Rodin's The Kiss, the Mademi Clarinet Quartet from Genoa will perform music seeking to evoke both the passion of Rodin's masterpiece and the artistic brilliance of Belle Époque Paris. Their recital will include works by Puccini, Tomasi, Fauré and Delibes.

Absence and Presence - A One-Day Practical Course Focusing on Ideas and Process, Rather Than Outcome - Friday, 23rd August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-03-22 10:53:50

Led by artist Audrey Grant, this course explores themes and ideas emerging from the exhibition From Death to Death and Other Small Tales focusing on the work of Marina Abramovic, Joseph Beuys and Doris Salcedo. The course will encourage participants to think creatively and to develop, experiment and share ideas using a selected range of materials.

Saturday Life Drawing Class - Morning & Afternoon Sessions August - Saturday, 24th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-03-20 15:06:53

See how others have portrayed the human figure, then work from a model. Led by artist Graham Flack. All materials supplied. Suitable for all levels of experience.

An Introduction to Modern Art - Looking August - Monday, 26th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-03-21 09:23:29

Experiments in Water Colour Inspired by Arthur Melville - A Practical One-Day Course - Monday, 26th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-03-22 10:57:15

The rich jewel-like water colour paintings of Arthur Melville will be brought out of storage especially for this course to be viewed in the Print Room. Artist Emily Learmont will then lead the workshop building up from small experiments to a more finished piece.

Illustration, Drawing and Simple Printmaking - A Five Week Course - Tuesday, 27th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-03-22 10:59:14

Using the exhibition Witches & Wicked Bodies as an inspiring starting point, make and illustrate an artist's book with artists Emily Learmont and Tessa Asquith-Lamb. Using mixed media including natural collage material, pen and ink, watercolour, printmaking, and silhouette paper-cuts. Tuesdays: 27 August, 3, 10, 17 & 24 September

Man Ray's Portraits of Duchamp: Questions of Identity - Tuesday, 27th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 16:31:10

To what extent can 'identity' be conveyed in conventional portrait photography? In Man Ray's early career, this issue was central to his dialogue with his friend and collaborator Marcel Duchamp, and was addressed directly in several of Man Ray's portraits of Duchamp, especially those of Duchamp dressed up as his female alter-ego, Rrose Selavy. Professor David Hopkins, University of Glasgow, will examine themes of identity, gender and portraiture as they are dramatised in these photographs, contextualising them in relation to Dada and Surrealism.

Ken Currie: New Works in Context - Wednesday, 28th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 16:33:58

Dr Tom Normand, Senior Lecturer in the School of Art History at the University of St Andrews discusses Ken Currie’s new work and puts it into context in relation to recent developments in Currie’s paintings.

Art for Absolute Beginners - Looking at Art: 1 - Thursday, 29th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-03-21 09:55:10

Informal discussion-based tours for those who want to open a door into the mysterious but fascinating world of art. Each of the ten stand-alone sessions is led by art historian Ola Wojtkiewicz. Session 1: Portrait

Art for Absolute Beginners - Making Art: 1 - Thursday, 29th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-03-21 10:24:11

Ten stand-alone sessions giving the opportunity to try out and experiment with lots of different materials and techniques led by artist Paula Flavell. Session 1:Drawing, pencil and graphite

Live Music Now: Astrid String Quartet - Thursday, 29th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 16:53:47

The Astrid String Quartet play music in response to the exhibition of works by 19th-century landscape painter, Frederic Edwin Church. The performance will include extracts from Dvorak’s American Quartet of 1893, written as a result of his travels to the USA, and Haydn's Sunrise Quartet of 1797, as a reflection upon Church's Sunrise (The Rising Sun).

Capturing the Dance: Pastels and Paint - A Five Week Course - 30th August to 27th September 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-03-22 11:04:02

Fridays: 30 August, 6, 13, 20, 27 September Artists like Degas are famous for their pastel studies of dancers at work. Led by artist Damian Callan, artworks will provide an inspirational starting point. Experimenting in pastels and paint, with mood and atmosphere and in some sessions with a live model, participants will learn some of the Degas’ techniques building layers of pastel to create beautiful patterns and subtle textures.

Haunted and Fairy-Taken Witches: The Place of the Restless Dead in Scottish Witchtrials - Friday, 30th August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 16:36:01

Many witch trials in Scotland offer priceless and terrifying accounts of Scottish folk belief in the place of the ‘restless dead’ in the supernatural landscape. This category of dead, those who could not rest, were sometimes taken up into a fairy ride chiefly composed of them, and from there they could also co-opt the living as their votaries and servants. Many of those men and women accused of witchcraft believed themselves to be part of this frightening, alluring nocturnal society, in which ancient beliefs mixed with medieval Christian calendrical customs to make a heady brew of story which ultimately proved fatal to those unwise enough to pour it out before the uncomprehending Presbyterian kirk. Dr Diane Purkiss, Fellow in English, Keble College, University of Oxford, will describe three sets of stories; those told by Andrew Man of his sexual liaison with the Queen of the Fairies, those told about Trowbound Katherine and her daughters, and those told by mid-seventeenth-century accused witch, Isobel Gowdie.

How Women Artists Have Challenged the Male Gaze - A Two-Day Practical Workshop - Saturday, 31st August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-03-22 11:07:13

Artist Audrey Grant leads this thought provoking and stimulating workshop inspired by the exhibition From Death to Death and Other Small Tales. Focusing on the work of Sarah Lucas, Louise Bourgeois and Kiki Smith and using unconventional materials, participants will create a piece of work in response to ideas discussed such as how women artists have chosen to represent the female form in the twentieth century.

National Gallery Highlights Tours - August 2013 - Saturday, 31st August 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 14:49:52

An introduction to and tour of the National Gallery's permanent collection, focusing on key paintings. Meet at the main entrance.

See you there: Peter Doig in Trinidad - Monday, 2nd September 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 16:37:46

Although Catherine Lampert’s familiarity with Peter Doig’s painting goes back to his first exhibition at the Whitechapel in 1991, the curator and art historian will focus on the artist’s way of gleaning subjects and introducing gradations of personal expression during his Trinidad decade, 2003-2012. The themes and variations, approach and methods used in other art forms, like film and poetry, are a subtext.

The Creation of an American Masterpiece: Church’s Niagara in Edinburgh - Tuesday, 3rd September 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-05-09 16:39:32

Christopher Baker, Director of the Portrait Gallery, will consider Church's painting of Niagara in the context of the artist's highly successful career on both sides of the Atlantic, and discuss its early history and reception.

HUFF - 14th to 22nd September 2013

National Galleries of Scotland — 2013-06-13 10:58:28

Close your eyes, take a deep breath and enter the world of HUFF. This is the story of the Three Little Pigs like you’ve never seen it before; brought to you by award-winning theatre makers Shona Reppe and Andy Manley with the National Galleries of Scotland and Catherine Wheels Theatre Company. Who’s afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? Stick close to your companions as you explore a series of curious chambers, but BEWARE of the figure lurking in the shadows. You may need to be resourceful to save your bacon! What is HUFF? HUFF is a walk-through experience suitable for everyone over 7 years old. It will take approximately 30 minutes to complete your journey. Expeditions start every 10 minutes from 11am each day. How do I book? Tickets are free, but booking is essential. Please book in advance and arrive at least 15 minutes before your allocated time. Each time slot is for a maximum of three people, so if you are a group of four, please book two time slots and you can journey in pairs. Book online at EventBrite. HUFF for Schools The HUFF experience is open to schools on weekdays from 12 – 22 September and is suitable for Primary 5 pupils. If you are a school, click here for more information or to book. Booking is absolutely essential.