Enfilade

From The Fitzwilliam:

Hayley2020: A Fitzwilliam Museum Conference
Online, 12–13 November 2020

George Romney, John Flaxman Modeling the Bust of William Hayley, 1795–96, oil on canvas, 89 × 57 inches (New Haven: Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection, B1981.25.538).

Convened to mark the bicentenary of his death, Hayley2020 is the first ever conference dedicated to writer, scholar, and amateur doctor William Hayley (1745–1820). Hugely influential in his time, Hayley is now mostly remembered for persuading William Blake to move to the Sussex coast, commissioning illustrations and prints from him, and driving him to distraction. But there is much more to the man who wrote (in verse) a runaway bestseller advising young women on how to attract and keep a husband, refused the poet laureateship for political reasons, and was the first person to publish an English translation of a long extract from Dante’s Inferno. Join us online on November 12 and 13 for a series of presentations and discussions about Hayley and his world (listed times are GMT). All are welcome.

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14.45  Welcome

Suzanne Reynolds, Lisa Gee, Naomi Billingsley, and Mark Crosby welcome you to virtual Eartham, but promise not to write you an adulatory sonnet.

15.00  On Romney, His Relationship with Hayley, and Works Arising

Alex Kidson talks about how Romney and Hayley’s relationship changed over the years, discussing works including the Cupid and Psyche cartoons, Flaxman Modelling the Bust of Hayley, and Romney’s illustrations for Hayley’s Essay on Old Maids (series of short videos). Parallel discussion in the chat with Alex present, followed by discussion. Video available for viewing beforehand and afterwards.

15.40  Coffee Break

You’ll have to bring your own hot beverage, but feel free to hang out, catch up with friends, and network like it’s 1795 in Hayley’s Library.

16.05  Hayley in His Contexts

Lisa Gee: Hayley – Essay on Sculpture, Mary Cockerell & the decline & death of Tom.; Alexandra Harris; Susan Matthews: Amina Wright: ‘Artist and Bard in Sweet Alliance: Joseph Wright of Derby and the Hermit of Eartham.’. Chaired by Mark Crosby.

16.45  Tea Break

17.00  Object-Oriented Session

Demo/test of the AMoR (A Museum of Relationships) pilot + discussion, with Lisa Gee and Suzanne Reynolds.

17.40  Plenary Discussions

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13.00  Virtual Conference Picnic

Find us in the windswept (virtual) grounds of Eartham where, because it’s mid-November, we’re happy this is online rather than IRL.

15.00  On Hayley, Flaxman, and Blake

David Bindman discusses the memorials on which Flaxman and Hayley collaborated, one that Hayley tried to interfere in, and explains why Hayley’s relationship with Blake was so different to those with Flaxman and Romney.

15.40  Coffee Break

16.05  Hayley and Blake

Mark Crosby, Sarah Haggarty, Jason Whittaker: Hayley in Blake biographies. Chaired by Naomi Billingsley.

16.40  Tea Break

17.05  Future Scholarship

New collaborations, action planning. Chaired by Lisa Gee.

17.50  Concluding Remarks