THE ARTS Society Wokingham marked its 10th Anniversary in grand Roman style at King’s Academy, Tilehurst.
More than 50 guests, including Cllr Adrian Mather, mayor of Wokingham Borough Council, Cllr Rob Comber, mayor of Wokingham Town Council, and Cllr Jenny Penfold, Mayor of Bracknell Forest, joined members or the organisation for an evening of celebration.
Councillor Mather cut a ceremonial cake and congratulated the society for enriching the cultural life of the borough over the past decade.
In his address he referred to the wet conditions outside, jokingly quoting Roman general Agricola who described Britain’s climate as: ‘Wretched, with frequent rains and mists.’
The highlight of the evening was an illustrated talk titled, The Golden Age of Roman Art, by Dr. Paul Robert, head of antiquities at the Ashmolean Museum.
Dr. Robert detailed Rome’s tumultuous history, showing how art flourished despite civil unrest during the reigns of the Roman Emperors.
He recounted the fall of the Empire, the sacking of Rome by the Visigoths in the fourth century AD, and the further destruction during Mussolini’s 1930s redesigns.
Yet, he explained, much of Rome’s former glory remains visible today.
One attendee said: “It was an extremely informative and interesting talk which brought back memories of our visit to Rome last year and made us realise we need to go back.”
The evening concluded on a high note, with Dr. Robert’s talk a fitting end to the celebration of 10 years of enjoying the arts.
Looking ahead, the society says it has an exciting program planned, starting with a lecture on Caravaggio by Chantal Brotherton-Ratcliffe on Monday, September 16.
The group meets on the third Monday of every month (not August and December) at King’s Academy, Binfield to hear talks covering all aspects of the arts including painting, music, photography, book illustration, architecture and garden design.
Doors open at 7.15pm, with speakers from 7.45pm.
Guests are welcomed, and should book in advance, with entry costing £8.
For information, visit www.theartssocietywokingham.org.uk.
