In this lecture, Tessa Murdoch will focus on the extraordinary cultural contribution made by Huguenot families in the British Isles, who were part of the diaspora of over 200,000 refugees that left France in the late 17th century to join communities already established in exile. Her talk is based on her recently published book, Europe Divided: Huguenot Refugee Art & Culture, the culmination of forty years of research.

Dr. Murdoch will discuss the Huguenot international network, which spread across northern Europe and beyond to America and South Africa. First-generation Huguenot refugees included hundreds of trained artists, designers and craftsmen. Beyond the French borders, they raised the quality of design and workshop practices, passing on skills to their apprentices, families and to successive generations, who continued to dominate output in the luxury trades.

During her presentation, Dr. Murdoch will elaborate on how although silver and silks are the best-known fields with which Huguenot settlers in the British Isles are associated, their significant contribution to architecture, ceramics, design, engraving, furniture, woodwork, sculpture, portraiture and art education were also extraordinary. Her talk will provide a fascinating insight into the motivation and resolve and achievements of the Huguenots in exile. She will in particular describe the key Huguenot horological (clock and watchmaking) contribution to the skilled trades.

Tessa Murdoch was Research Curator, The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection, at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London from 2019-2021. She is currently Chair of Trustees, The Huguenot Museum, Rochester, Kent, UK. Prior to this she was Deputy Keeper of Sculpture, Metalwork and Glass at the V&A, and lead curator for the Sacred Silver, Stained Glass and the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Galleries. She lectures and writes widely on the history of the decorative arts. Her publications include The Quiet Conquests: The Huguenots 1685-1985 and Huguenot Goldsmiths in Northern Europe and North America. In 2019 she was the recipient of the Getty-Rothschild Fellowship.

This talk is presented in partnership with The Huguenot Society of America and in collaboration with The Horological Society of New York and Historic Huguenot Street.

$15 General Admission

$10 General Society Members, The Huguenot Society of America Members, The Horological Society of New York Members, Historic Huguenot Street Members, and Senior Citizens

$5 Students

Advance registration is required to receive the link to the Zoom Webinar Platform

For more information, please visit www.generalsociety.org