A Symphony in Blue: The Artist, the Couturier and 'Atlas the most fabulous mountaine of all Africke'
Lecture on Monday 4th September 2023 at 1:45PM
Lecturer: Caroline Holmes
Venue: Larruperz Centre
Pliny the Elder described the Atlas Mountains 1900 years before a French cabinetmaker’s son Jacques Majorelle arrived in Morocco, his artistic output started with posters to entice French tourists. Extensive travel in the Atlas Mountains inspired glorious blue dominated canvases and a garden in Marrakech. His blue horticultural testament was saved by Yves St Laurent who tailored the garden with pattern and panache. A foundation for its survival and public entry was created by St Laurent thus bleu majorelle is now prêt-a-porter.
Caroline Holmes has lectured in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Europe, Japan and on cruises to the Baltic, Mediterranean, Red Sea, Caribbean and Indian Ocean. In 2017 she returned to The Arts Society in New Zealand. She is University of Cambridge ICE Academic Tutor and Course Director; lectures for the Royal Horticultural Society, museums, specialist travel companies and online for The Gardens Trust. Caroline is a consultant designer specialising in evoking historic, artistic and symbolic references. She is the author of 12 books including Water Lilies and Bory Latour-Marliac, the genius behind Monet’s water lilies; Impressionists in their Gardens; Follies of Europe: Architectural Extravaganzas; Monet at Giverny and Icons of Garden Design. Contributions to Viking TV include Monet’s Garden at Giverny. She is a presenter and contributor on television and BBC Radio 4. She was the 2017 recipient of the Herb Society of America ‘Elizabeth Crisp Rea Award’.