Throughout the ages, female patrons have used art as a crucial form of social and political expression. Their patronage allowed them to explore their passions, nurture artists and build unique collections. Rose Balston will look at women who were revered as taste makers, thinkers and leaders in their field during their lifetimes, yet have remained in the shadows as history took hold. 

 Rose will journey from the 16th to the 19th centuries to discover a selection of leading female patrons and how they influenced the art world and their own social and political status. Women will include Marguerite of Austria, Isabella d’Este, Madame de Pompadour, Catherine the Great of Russia, and Queen Victoria of England. 

 NB: In previous talks that can be found in our archive, Rose has already discussed the patronage of Queen Elizabeth I of England, Catherine de Medici, Madame de Pompadour and Queen Marie Antoinette of France. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 

 Rose will be doing a series on female patrons of the 20th century further down the line. Watch this space! 

 All lectures are pre-recorded. 2023 series (running Jan-March, Sept-Nov) will be released at 12:30pm GMT on Wednesdays via Zoom Webinars. They will be available to watch on catch-up via Tixoom. All series include a 2-week mid-term break.