Lecture
Caravaggio: The Bad Boy of the Baroque
Cinematic compositions and visceral detail from a scandalous, gifted painter whose brief life changed the course of European art.
60 mins (flexible)
Europe/London - Fast replies - In-person & online
Engaging Art History lectures, study days and tours
In-person and online, UK-wide and beyond.
Find the talk, study day or lecture you're looking for
Search once across every catalogue. A keyword you type might match a lecture, a study day or a Young Arts talk - whichever fits best will appear below.
Lecture Catalogue
All lectures are 60 mins (flexible) and richly illustrated.
Lecture
Rubens: Poses, Position and Property
Charm personified and prodigiously productive, Rubens worked for Europe’s great courts, shaping taste and provoking imitation.
60 mins (flexible)
Lecture
Velázquez: In Search of Status
From humble kitchen scenes to portraits that astonished Rome, Velázquez pursued status and redefined the possibilities of painting.
60 mins (flexible)
Lecture
Michelangelo: Paper, Stone and Flesh
Letters, poetry, drawings and sculpture reveal the tempestuous genius of Michelangelo: grumpy, brilliant and utterly original.
60 mins (flexible)
Lecture
The Sistine Chapel Ceiling Cracked
A fresh look at the ceiling’s Old Testament scheme, its virtuosity, and its subversive, sinful undercurrents.
60 mins (flexible)
Lecture
Leonardo da Vinci: Anatomical Mindfulness
Bridging science and art through Leonardo’s anatomical studies: observation, inquiry and Renaissance ideas about the body.
60 mins (flexible)
Lecture
Cabbages, Carrots and Lamb: Spanish Still Life 1600-1812
From sacramental simplicity to political commentary, Spanish still life paintings by Velázquez, Zurbarán, Meléndez and Goya.
60 mins (flexible)
Lecture
Caterpillars, Lemons and Lobsters: Dutch Still life 1560-1650
Still life painting of the Dutch Golden Age make for exquisite surfaces and rich symbolism, featuring the work of Bosschaert, Heda, Claesz and Kalf.
60 mins (flexible)
Lecture
Animal Fur, Telephones and Apple Cores: Still Life 1900-Now
From Picasso and Dali to Oldenburg and Hirst: how the still life impulse powers modern and contemporary art.
60 mins (flexible)
Lecture
Courtly life in Mantua: Hunchbacks, Dwarves and Giants
Pisanello’s chivalry, Mantegna’s classicism and Giulio Romano’s playful bravura at the Gonzaga court.
60 mins (flexible)
Lecture
Deceiving the Scholars
Mistakes, forgeries and cover-ups from Simone Martini to Michelangelo and Velázquez, where interpretation has real stakes.
60 mins (flexible)
Lecture
Dreaming of Madness and Monsters: Bomarzo
Inside the surreal 16th-century Monster Park: colossal sculptures, crooked houses and witty provocation.
60 mins (flexible)
Study Days Catalogue
Multi-part study sessions with the same illustrated format and flexible delivery options as lectures.
Study Day
Layers of Rome (3 parts)
From Classical engineering to High Renaissance brilliance and Baroque spectacle and theatre. Spend a day exploring the art and ideas that made the city of Rome through 9 of its greatest artistic achievements.
60 mins per part
Study Day
Giants of the Baroque (3 parts)
Three sessions focused on Caravaggio, Rubens and Velázquez, each also available as a stand-alone lecture.
60 mins per part
Study Day
Italian Renaissance Villas and Gardens (Tuscany, Veneto and Tivoli)
Medici magnificence, Palladian farm-villas, and d’Este’s mythic Tivoli waterworks: art, landscape and status.
60 mins per part
Study Day
Food for Thought. Spanish, Dutch and Modern Still Life Painting
A sensory journey from Spanish still life paintings to Dutch vanitas and modern still life, revealing symbolism, morality, mortality and the reinvention of everyday objects.
60 mins per part
Young Arts in Community Talks
Short, accessible talks designed for school-age audiences.
Young Arts Talk
Giraffes as Gifts and Wasps in Love
For younger audiences, this lively talk explores animals in art, from status-symbol horses to gifted giraffes, while introducing ideas of allegory and provenance.
60 mins
Young Arts Talk
Stories set in Stone
A high-energy introduction to epic stories in sculpture, using works by Michelangelo, Cellini and Bernini to unpack heroes, villains, love and loss.
60 mins
Young Arts Talk
Leonardo da Vinci: Anatomical Mindfulness
For older students, this session bridges art and science through Leonardo’s anatomical studies, opening discussions on body image and gender in Renaissance culture.
60 mins
Young Arts Talk
Deceiving the Scholars
A detective-style talk on mistakes, forgeries and misattribution, featuring Caravaggio, Simone Martini, Michelangelo and Velázquez.
60 mins
About Dan Evans
Dan is an educationalist with a passion for all things Italian. He is a Housemaster and Teacher at Cheltenham College and was formerly Head of History of Art at Wycombe Abbey School. Dan has been lecturing since 2001 and spent nine years as a senior lecturer, tutor and tour guide for Art History Abroad. He was voted the British winner of the World Guide of the Year Awards in 2008 and, alongside lectures and special interest days, he leads educational study trips for groups of friends to destinations across Italy.
- Format
Lectures are approx 60 mins plus optional Q&A, Study Days are three 60 min lectures (two in morning, one in afternoon) and Young Arts Talks can be anything from 40 to 60 minutes dependant on audience age. - Delivery
In-person (PowerPoint) or Zoom/Teams - Fees
Guide fees from 2027: Lecture £400, Study Day £700, Young Arts Talk £400. Fees are flexible for smaller societies, school groups and two lectures on the same day. No VAT. Travel is charged separately (rail at cost or 45p per mile).
Full profile on the Arts Society Directory Page: View profile
Reviews & Testimonials
Recent feedback from Arts Society audiences and organisers.
"Superb, brilliant, wonderful, entertaining and outstanding... a perfect lecture"
Arts Society Birmingham, April 2026
"On behalf of the society, I would like to thank you for your outstanding lecture yesterday. Our members were delighted by the subject and the committee keep talking about caterpillars!"
Arts Society Sarum, April 2026
"We don't give "outstanding" lightly - but Dan totally merits it! "Such a gifted speaker" "so engaging" "you've booked a winner here" were just some of the comments from the audience. An enthusiastic, knowledgeable, amusing and gifted speaker. We'd invite him again like a shot!"
Arts Society Devizes, April 2024
"Our members loved this lecture and said how lucky Dan's pupils were to have him. He arrived on time and was very easy to deal with."
Cotswold Arts Society, February 2024
"An outstanding lecture, accessible, interesting, well researched and delivered with authority. It was thoughtfully structured, and Dan told us how he was going about it. He handled potentially challenging content in a highly sophisticated manner. Dan had a very engaging style and developed a wonderful rapport with the audience... Difficult to fault."
Arts National Noosa, Australia, July 2024
Public Speaking Videos
Watch short clips from public talks.
Directory Day 2015, Central Hall Westminster, London
Watch on YouTubeDirectory Day 2018, Central Hall Westminster, London
Watch on YouTubeOnline Directory Day 2021
Watch on YouTubeAvailability
Browse the calendar below to see available dates, tentative enquiries, confirmed bookings and periods when Dan is unavailable.
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Enquire about a Lecture, Study Day or Talk
Fast, friendly replies. Provisional holds last 7 days.
Prefer email? Contact dan@acanthuseducation.co.uk.
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Booking Terms
- Guide fees from 2027 are £400 per lecture, £700 per Study Day and £400 per Young Arts Talk. Fees are flexible for smaller societies, school groups, and larger societies booking two lectures on the same day. No VAT is charged. Travel is added separately (rail at cost or 45p per mile), plus accommodation if required.
- Provisional holds last 7 days; dates may be released if unconfirmed.
- Payment due within 2 days of invoice.
- Cancellation: within 7 days = 50%; within 2 days = 75%; on the day = 100%.