Cambridge Society of Arts

12/06/2026

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09/06/2026

The embodiment of luxury and style ✨

For we’re taking a closer look at one of the most famous faces in our collection. Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres painted the young Marie Clotilde-Inès de Foucauld when she was just twenty-three years of age, following her marriage to the banker, Sigisbert Moitessier. Ingres was initially reluctant to accept the commission but changed his mind after meeting Madame Moitessier, whom he described as ‘beautiful and good’.

Here, Marie is depicted wearing her finest clothes and jewellery, she is the embodiment of luxury and style. Her lavish floral gown is made from Lyonnaise silk and takes up almost three-quarters of the portrait. Ingres skilfully depicts the tones and textures of the fabric, while the impression of opulence is amplified by her Renaissance and Byzantine-style jewellery. Ingres paints these jewels in meticulous detail, the purple and red of the amethysts and garnets in the bracelets, brooch and headpiece echoing the reds and pinks used throughout the picture. This was the era of the Second Empire, which saw the restoration of the imperial throne and an extravagant display of wealth: https://bit.ly/2HhVolr

09/06/2026

On a crisp autumn morning, the rising sun casts a cool light on the manor house ✨

This week marks the birthday of the Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens. A remarkable individual, Rubens was not only one of the most celebrated painters in 17th century Europe, but he also played an important diplomatic role in politics. By the 1630s Rubens had been ennobled both in Spain by Philip IV and in England by Charles I and, in 1635, this status and wealth enabled him to purchase the manor of Het Steen, near Malines (now known as Mechelen).

The 16th century manorial castle with park, pastureland and meadows was a place of retreat where Rubens could recover his health and paint the landscapes, he loved rather than the subjects he was obliged to do for his patrons. At the time, landscapes were considered inferior in status to large images of historical events or biblical stories and to portraits of people of high standing. Rubens was one of the first to recognise and grasp the significance of landscape as a means of expressing delight in the natural world.

Rubens painted this picture for his own delight – perhaps as a mark of a life well lived and a reward well earned: https://bit.ly/2VmfRg6

07/06/2026

A wonderful series of Abstract art workshops was presented by Ulemj Art this past weekend. Everyone enjoyed a lot of fun and laughter and created all kinds of wonderful art! We learned a lot of new techniques too. So brace yourselves now for the masterpieces to come!!

Find out more about our very active local group of creatives at https://www.cambridgeartsociety.co.nz where all Arty types (that's a highly technical term) are Welcome😆

03/06/2026

Why stay home and do boring housework or supermarket shopping? BREAK OUT of another routine weekend and Give your Creative Juices a BLAST! Somebody else can take the kids out and walk the dog! 😅

Join us at our studio this Saturday or Sunday (6th and 7th June) at 51 Thornton Road, Cambridge, to experience our Abstract and Mixed Media Workshop from 9.30am to 1.30pm on either day. You choose. MOST MATERIALS ARE SUPPLIED - see the link below for details. Too EASY!!

https://www.cambridgeartsociety.co.nz/mixed-media-workshop/

"I highly recommend attending this workshop. I had no expectations but with Ulemj's encouraging guidance I had fun and learned so much. It was an inspiring and uplifting experience."

SURPRISE - it's only 1.5 hours from Auckland to the Cambridge Art Society workshop studio!!



I'll see you there - I'm very excited to learn these new techniques from a professional artist and art teacher! Win-win!

03/06/2026