Coming up in 2020

This year promises to be a good one. Here are some of the highlights:

Exhibitions

Pablo Bronstein at the Soane Museum

Promises to be a definitive show. The Artist is also collaborating with David Kohn Architects at Ickworth this winter.

Baroque at Tate Britain (From 4th February)

The Late Stuart period is hot right now. Following on from the success of Charles I: King and Collector and the Favourite, Tate Britain is examine the art and culture of the Baroque in the British Isles between the Restoration and the Death of Queen Anne.

Hebrew Manuscripts at British Library (From 20th March)

Journey beyond the Bible. This exhibition will celebrate the rich literary and scholarly traditions of the Jewish Diaspora which items dating from the 10th century. Key texts on science, music and magic will be on display showing the importance of Jewish scholars to the transmission of classicism for millennia. The most curious item, a letter from an Italian Rabbi advising Henry VIII on his divorce (proving Larry David’s famous adage).

Michael Clark at the Barbican (From 12th June)

Michael instinctively understood the tension of the Classic, its foundation in the Other and its normative position. A career retrospective which will include new works by Charles Atlas, Sarah Lucas and Silke Otto-Knapp.

Nero at British Museum (From 12th November)

There are going to be some great exhibitions at the British Museum in 2020, including shows on Tantra, Arctic culture and St Thomas Becket. For my money, the big winter blockbuster is “Nero: title to be confirmed” starting on 12th November. It promises to be a fascinating examination of this complex and multilayered man and the empire and societies he ruled.

Books

How to Be a Bad Emperor: An Ancient Guide to… Suetonius Suetonius (3rd March 2020)

Life and Death of Ancient Cities: A Natural History by Greg Woolf (8th May)

Promises to be a paradigm shifting study of ancient cities, examining the environmental conditions that supported and shaped urbanism.

Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe (2nd July 2020)

A popular history on one of the world’s most beautiful cities by the preeminent Byzantist, what’s more to say. Expect glossy photos of gorgeous mosaics and prose that goes along at a good speed. Good beach read.

Films and TV

The Barbarians

The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 CE was (retrospectively seen as) one of the defining events of the reign of Augustus. A cleverly planned ambush saw a decisive defeat of three legions and set the Northern frontiers. Expect Tits and Dragons, without the dragons.

141 A.D The Unknown Story of Centurion Marcus Scaevola

Octavian Repede is following up his beautiful feature from 2018.

On Rhakotis

This spring we will be reviewing the Cletic Warrior at Novium Museum, Roman Birds and Art Deco.