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Talks and Presentations



Adult Education at Filoli: Talks“The speaker’s use of botanical nomenclature was most welcome. Thank you.” From A Garden Well Placed by Xa Tollemache, co–sponsored by the Royal Oak Foundation, Spring 2010.

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Historical journeys, garden explorations, interesting stories and insight into Filoli, past and present, are just a few examples of what you will experience while attending one of our talks and visual presentations. Well-known authors, horticulturists, history enthusiasts and other professionals share their knowledge and experience. Each presentation is followed by a reception at which guests mingle with each other as well as the presenter. In some cases, a book signing and sale will immediately follow. Spend a lovely afternoon experiencing something new at Filoli.

Our attendees say it best…
“Love attending all Filoli lectures!” From Life Lessons from Great Gardens, Spring 2009.

Madame X (detail) by John Singer Sargent

John Singer Sargent in Paris, London, and Venice

Thursday, September 16, 2010, 2:00 pm–3:00 pm,
Speaker: Dr. Margaretta Lovell

Our most cosmopolitan artist, John Singer Sargent (1856-1925), enjoyed great popularity as a portraitist based first in Paris, and then, after he shocked the Parisians with his portrait of Madame X in 1884, in London. He was also an acute observer of daily life, capturing vignettes of working-class Europeans and North Africans with his vivid, seemingly-spontaneous painting technique. His charcoal sketches of the Bourns are on display at Filoli in the permanent collection. This lecture will focus on Sargent’s women and girls, both the society figures who supported his career and the working–class women he sought out as models during his travels. Dr. Margaretta M. Lovell is the Jay D. McEvoy, Jr., Professor of American Art at the University of California, Berkeley and was the curator of the exhibition “Venice: The American View, 1860-1920” shown at the Legion of Honor in 1984, in which Sargent figured prominently.

Fee: $25 for members; $30 for non-members.

Madame X (detail) by John Singer Sargent

Such 1920s elegance! Afternoon tea
dancing, a hillsborough tradition. But
remember, no diamonds before dark.
From the Michael Svanevik and
Shirley Burgett Collection.

Ain’t We Got Elegance
Peninsula High Society as you’ve never seen it before

Fridays, October 8 through 22, 2:00 pm–3:00 pm
Speaker: Michael Svanevik

A paraphrase of lyrics from the musical Hello Dolly! describes this candid historical series that offers intimate and revealing glimpses of Peninsula High Society in the 19th century. From its primitive foundations during the latter years of the 19th century, when Argonauts, Bonanzans and Railroaders seemed to believe that flatulent wealth and obscene elegance were all that sophisticated society should be about, to stately mansions as High Society morphed into something grander, more urbanely elegant and much more significant. Like royalty, this strata of society was characterized by intricate matrimonial alliances, many international in scope; aweinspiring corporate, political and cultural power; splendidly educated often manipulative grande dames and the creation of high-toned social organizations.

Join social historian Michael Svanevik for three revealing Friday afternoons in October when he discusses the long-forgotten foibles of local society. Lectures are lavishly illustrated with recently acquired photographs—many of which have never before been seen in public.

Fee for series: $65 members; $85 non-members.

Fee for individual lecture: $25 members; $30 non-members While this is a three-part presentation, each lecture is a self-contained topic.