Bringing Birmingham to You with Shakespeare Institute's Professor Michael Dobson

Bringing Birmingham to You with Shakespeare Institute's Professor Michael Dobson

Sunday 10 September

Informal Tour, Legion of Honor, 15:00 - 16:00

Bringing Birmingham to You social event, Violet's Tavern, 16:30 - 18:30

We are delighted to invite you to a special Bringing Birmingham to You to celebrate The Tudors: Art and Majesty in Renaissance England exhibition at the Legion of Honor, San Francisco.

The collection features a portrait on loan from the University of Birmingham, which is usually on display at the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-Upon-Avon. The artwork has been travelling across the US, having previously been exhibited at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Cleveland Museum of Art in Ohio

Helen Carey, Senior Philanthropy Manager (North America) and Professor Michael Dobson, Director of the Shakespeare Institute will be attending the afternoon celebrations. You are invited to attend for all, or part, of the afternoon, depending on your availability, and the event details are as follows:

Tour of The Tudors: Art and Majesty in Renaissance England exhibition

Time: 15:00 – 16:00

Venue: Legion of Honor, 34th Ave, San Francisco CA 94121

Join Helen and Professor Dobson for an informal self-guided tour, which will give you the opportunity to experience the exhibition and the portrait depicting Abd al-Wahid bin Mas’ood bin Mohammad ‘Annouri, who was an 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. Painted during the ambassador's trip to London, the portrait is the earliest surviving 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.

Ticket costs range from $21 - $30. Full ticket information can be found on the museum website.

Bringing Birmingham to You

Time: 16:30 - 18:30

Venue: Violet's Tavern, 2301 Clement St, San Francisco, CA 94121

Continue the conversations around the painting's journey from Birmingham to America and the significance of this artwork over drinks and snacks with Helen and Professor Dobson at nearby Violet's Tavern. During this social gathering, you will hear further insights on the painting, have the opportunity to connect with your fellow alumni on the West Coast and get updates on all the news from the University. Don’t worry, no prior knowledge of the subject matter is necessary to attend this gathering, and questions are very much welcomed.

With the exhibition soon drawing to a close in San Francisco, this Bringing Birmingham to You will be a great opportunity for alumni to see the portrait of the ambassador, and celebrate the University of Birmingham on a global stage.