There’s been a strong focus on American art in London in 2017, which continues throughout the autumn season. Dulwich Picture Gallery will hold an exhibition dedicated to John Singer Sargent and his work, which provides a wonderful excuse to start our day’s lecture in the mid 19th Century. The Royal Academy will, no doubt, be receiving great reviews for its retrospective of Jasper Johns – which will complement the exhibition on Rauschenberg, at Tate, earlier this year. Finally, the Barbican will have the most important Basquiat show in the UK since the artist died at the age of 27, in 1988. Too young to be the father of graffiti art, Basquiat might well be considered to be its older brother. All three “John’s” will be the subject of Dr Richard Stemp’s exploration into what it means to be an “American” artist.