Bringing Birmingham to You with Professor Michael Dobson

We are delighted to invite you to a very special Bringing Birmingham to You to celebrate The Met’s new exhibition, 'The Tudors: Art and Majesty in Renaissance England', that features a portrait on loan from the University of Birmingham, which is usually on display at the Shakespeare Institute.

The Portrait is of ʿAbd al-Wāḥid bin Masʿūd bin Muḥammad binʿAnūrī, Moroccan Ambassador to Queen Elizabeth I on behalf of the Sa’adi Sultanate, rulers of modern-day Morocco and parts of West Africa in the 16th and 17th centuries. The portrait was painted during the ambassador's trip to London, and it is the earliest surviving portrait of a person of Islamic faith painted from life in England. Within months of the ambassador's departure, William Shakespeare began to write Othello, whose central character bears a striking resemblance to the ambassador.

Please join us from 14:00 – 16:00 EST (at The Penrose) to hear from Professor Michael Dobson, Director of the Shakespeare Institute and Professor of Shakespeare Studies, who will share insights on the painting's journey from Birmingham to New York and the significance of this artwork to the Shakespeare Institute. Don’t worry, no prior knowledge of the subject matter is necessary and questions are very much welcomed. You will have the opportunity to network with your fellow alumni living in the US, alongside hearing further University updates. Your first drink will be on us, with guests welcome to purchase their own refreshments following this.

For those that would like to see the painting in person, a group will be meeting at The Met at 12:30 for an informal tour of 'The Tudors: Art and Majesty in Renaissance England' exhibition. Please note, the exhibition is free to New York residents, with donations encouraged, but charged at $30 for adults and $22 for seniors for those living outside of New York. At 13:30 the group will depart to join the Bringing Birmingham to You event. Please indicate on registering if you plan to join the tour as well as the event. 

As a global University we are thrilled that this inspiring portrait will feature within this exciting exhibition, and we would be delighted to have your company in celebrating the arts and culture on this international stage.