Under the title Head, Hands and Heart, he traced the changes in teaching styles at the the Royal College from the highly analytical and theoretical syllabus on the 19th century, through the practical craft-based philosophy of the first half of the 20th century, to the creative and more socially responsive post-war era.
In concentrating on one high-profile speaker rather than a number of specialist lecturers, the trustees of the Frederick Parker Foundation, administrators of the former Parker Knoll collection of English chairs, presided over a stimulating event which should set the pattern for future years.
This year’s event was sponsored by the RICS Antiques and Fine Arts Faculty and was followed by a dinner at the House of Lords.
Frayling in the chair for Parker Knoll
The fourth Frederick Parker lecture, held last week at Church House, Westminster, confirmed the potential of this event as an important annual fixture when Christopher Frayling, Rector of London’s Royal College of Art, spoke on the evolution of art and design education in Britain since the 1830s.
