These events offer a rare opportunity to see representatives from two of the most culturally significant religious sites in the world.
When St. Augustine first came to England in the year 597 he founded a community at Canterbury, in the extreme southeast of England. Dr. Willis will tell the story of an extraordinary community that for over 1,400 years has fostered creativity and continues to do so. Today, the Cathedral in Canterbury employs over 300 full-time staff, all of whom are experienced in traditional arts and crafts, including stonemasons, musicians, carpenters, workers in stained glass, librarians, archivists, gardeners, and more. This unbroken history of the development of so many creative arts is unique in English history. The talk complements the exhibition Canterbury and St. Albans: Treasures from Church and Cloister.
The Very Reverend Dr. Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury (left) and The Very Reverend John R. Hall, Dean of Westminster (right)
Westminster Abbey, an architectural masterpiece with origins dating back to 960, is steeped in more than a thousand years of history. Dr. Hall will explore the architecture, events, and people that are part of the history of the Abbey. The present church, started by King Henry III in 1245, is one of the most important Gothic buildings in the United Kingdom. However its iconic west towers are an 18th-century construct by architect Nicholas Hawkmoor. Today there is new building taking place—the first major addition to the Abbey since the towers were completed in 1745. In addition to its stunning architecture, the Abbey is a treasure house of paintings, stained glass, monuments, textiles, and other artifacts. The Abbey has been the setting for every coronation since 1066 and the site of sixteen royal weddings, including the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in April 2011. The Abbey is also the final resting place of seventeen monarchs as well as notable statesmen and philanthropists, soldiers and explorer, scientists, musicians, and actors. The talk is presented in collaboration with The Royal Oak Foundation.
Canterbury: 14 Centuries of Community and Creativity Sunday, September 22, 2013; 3:00 p.m. Harold M. Williams Auditorium, Getty Center Free admission; reservations recommended. Call (310) 440-7300 or visit www.getty.edu. Westminster Abbey: For Ever New Monday, September 23, 2013; 7:00 p.m. Harold M. Williams Auditorium, Getty Center Free admission; reservations recommended. Call (310) 440-7300 or visit www.getty.edu.