Ashmolean Museum

To complement the Xu Bing exhibition, the Museum displays traditional Chinese landscape paintings from the Ashmolean collection, including rarely shown works by masters of the 17th century.
Together with calligraphy, ink landscape painting has been regarded for a thousand years as the most prestigious form of art in China, and the exhibition provides an insight into its distinguished history. The fundamental vocabulary - rocks, trees, mountains and waters - seen in these landscapes also offers visitors a departure point towards understanding the new works by Xu Bing in our temporary exhibition where he, as one of contemporary China's most creative artists, breathes new life into an ancient tradition.

Suitable for

Admission

Free

Antonio Stradivari (c.1644–1737) – or Stradivarius as he is usually known – is the only maker of musical instruments whose name ranks alongside those of the great composers. For the first time will twenty of his instruments, from guitar to cello to violin, be on display together in the UK.
While the details of his life are not as familiar as those of Vivaldi or Mozart, his name succeeds in evoking a creative genius in the popular imagination. The Ashmolean’s summer 2013 exhibition will feature twenty of the world’s most important musical instruments, some of which have never been shown in public, on loan from international collections: from the early Silvestre violin of 1666, to the Fountaine violino piccolo, the Boissier-Sarasate of 1713, to his later violins of the 1730s. It will also show a recreation of Stradivarius’s workshop where visitors will be able to follow the creation of a violin from a log of spruce through to the finished instrument.

Suitable for

Admission

£6/ £4 concession, Under 18s free

Antonio Stradivari (c.1644–1737) – or Stradivarius as he is usually known – is the only maker of musical instruments whose name ranks alongside those of the great composers. For the first time will twenty of his instruments, from guitar to cello to violin, be on display together in the UK.
While the details of his life are not as familiar as those of Vivaldi or Mozart, his name succeeds in evoking a creative genius in the popular imagination. The Ashmolean’s summer 2013 exhibition will feature twenty of the world’s most important musical instruments, some of which have never been shown in public, on loan from international collections: from the early Silvestre violin of 1666, to the Fountaine violino piccolo, the Boissier-Sarasate of 1713, to his later violins of the 1730s. It will also show a recreation of Stradivarius’s workshop where visitors will be able to follow the creation of a violin from a log of spruce through to the finished instrument.

Admission

£6/ £4 concession, Under 18s free

The Ashmolean is home to one of the world’s most important collections of drawings.
Amongst its treasures are the largest group of works on paper by Raphael
drawings by Leonardo, Titian and Michelangelo
Rubens and Rembrandt
Turner, Degas and Cezanne
to Gwendolen John and David Hockney. To coincide with the Museum's 330th birthday, its summer exhibition selects some of the finest examples of works on paper by the greatest names in western art.

Suitable for

Admission

£5/ £4 concession, Under 18s free

The Ashmolean is home to one of the world’s most important collections of drawings.
Amongst its treasures are the largest group of works on paper by Raphael
drawings by Leonardo, Titian and Michelangelo
Rubens and Rembrandt
Turner, Degas and Cezanne
to Gwendolen John and David Hockney. To coincide with the Museum's 330th birthday, its summer exhibition selects some of the finest examples of works on paper by the greatest names in western art.

Admission

£5/ £4 concession, Under 18s free

This exhibition highlights the Ashmolean’s collection of a particular type of netsuke, the manju, which is named after a round, sweet-bean paste bun.
These manj? netsuke illustrate scenes from Japanese history, religion, folklore and everyday life. They display carving of remarkable skill and bring us a fascinating glimpse of Japanese culture during the late Edo and early Meiji periods, yet they are little known in comparison with the arguably more accessible sculptural or katabori netsuke. In this exhibition they will be displayed alongside woodblock prints illustrating the stories carved on the netsuke.

Suitable for

Admission

Free

This exhibition highlights the Ashmolean’s collection of a particular type of netsuke, the manju, which is named after a round, sweet-bean paste bun.
These manj? netsuke illustrate scenes from Japanese history, religion, folklore and everyday life. They display carving of remarkable skill and bring us a fascinating glimpse of Japanese culture during the late Edo and early Meiji periods, yet they are little known in comparison with the arguably more accessible sculptural or katabori netsuke. In this exhibition they will be displayed alongside woodblock prints illustrating the stories carved on the netsuke.

Admission

Free

This major exhibition will feature 20 works by each artist, carefully selected to bring out similarities and differences.
Despite working in different media, Bacon and Moore were exhibited together from end of the Second World War into the 1960s. This new exhibition aims to bring a fresh perspective to Francis Bacon and Henry Moore highlighting the important influences and experiences which they shared and exploring specific themes in their work.

Suitable for

Admission

£8/ £6 concession, Under 18s free

This major exhibition will feature 20 works by each artist, carefully selected to bring out similarities and differences.
Despite working in different media, Bacon and Moore were exhibited together from end of the Second World War into the 1960s. This new exhibition aims to bring a fresh perspective to Francis Bacon and Henry Moore highlighting the important influences and experiences which they shared and exploring specific themes in their work.

Admission

£8/ £6 concession, Under 18s free

Join us for musical fun. Make a noisy rattle then have a song and dance in the galleries.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

When

2-4pm

Admission

All family activities are free, with a suggested donation of £1 per child. Reminder: Children must be accompanied by an adult at all events.

Join us for musical fun. Make a noisy rattle then have a song and dance in the galleries.

When

2-4pm

Admission

All family activities are free, with a suggested donation of £1 per child. Reminder: Children must be accompanied by an adult at all events.

In Conversation: Cornelia Parker and Iwona Blazwick

21 June 2013

Iwona Blazwick, Director of the Whitechapel Gallery and author of a new monograph talks to Cornelia Parker about her work as a sculptor and installation artist. They will discuss Parker's career from her early small-scale sculptures to the huge installations for which she is well-known. Includes Q&A.

Suitable for

• 18+
• 16-17
• Not suitable for children

When

2-3:30pm

Admission

£15.00/£12.00, booking essential.

In Conversation: Cornelia Parker and Iwona Blazwick

21 June 2013

Iwona Blazwick, Director of the Whitechapel Gallery and author of a new monograph talks to Cornelia Parker about her work as a sculptor and installation artist. They will discuss Parker's career from her early small-scale sculptures to the huge installations for which she is well-known. In partnership with 'artisjustaword', The Whitechapel Gallery collection includes paintings featured on the Your Paintings website.

Suitable for

• 18+
• Not suitable for children

When

2-3:30pm

Admission

£15.00/£12.00, booking essential.

Playing Strad - Copying Stradivarius

22 June 2013

Why are they considered superior, and what is it like to play one? The second part considers the practice of copying Stradivari's work, both as a way of learning the art of violin making and, on the other side of a very thin line, intending to deceive. Booking essential on: www.ashmolean.org/whatsonbooking

Suitable for

• Any age
• Family friendly

When

11am-12pm

Admission

£4.00/£3.00 concessions.

Playing Strad - Copying Stradivarius

22 June 2013

Why are they considered superior, and what is it like to play one? The second part considers the practice of copying Stradivari's work, both as a way of learning the art of violin making and, on the other side of a very thin line, intending to deceive. Booking essential at www.ashmolean.org/whatsonbooking.

Suitable for

• Any age

When

11am-12pm

Admission

£4.00/£3.00 concessions.

Come Draw With Me!

28 June 2013

Workshops and demonstrations will give you the opportunity to take up drawing or perfect a technique. With some of the greatest names in the history of art on the walls in the museum, this is the opportunity to learn from Old Masters and contemporary artists.

Suitable for

• Any age

When

7-10:30pm

Come Draw with Me!

28 June 2013

During the 'Master Drawings; exhibition, for one night only the galleries at the Ashmolean will become drawing studios filled with artists ready to help you start drawing or develop your skills.With some of the greatest names in the history of art on the walls in the museum, this is the opportunity to learn from Old Masters and contemporary artists. The Ashmolean collection includes paintings featured on the Your Paintings website.

Suitable for

• Any age

When

7-10:30pm