Turner’s vision of Brighton in the settings of The Royal Pavilion
Brighthelmston, Sussex, JMW Turner, circa 1824 © The Royal Pavilion & Museums – Image above. Turner, Self portrait, oil on canvas, circa 1799 – Image below
An exciting new exhibition depicting 1820’s Brighton comes to The Royal Pavilion
Discover Brighton through the eyes of J.M.W. Turner as Britain’s greatest artist exhibits at Brighton’s greatest building.
The Royal Pavilion provides a beautiful and intimate setting for the first ever exhibition to explore Turner’s artistic portrayal of Brighton, opening on 2 November 2013.
From historic fishing boats to the modern chain pier, Turner In Brighton is a fascinating revelation into our city’s history and modernisation through the romance of paintings, sketches and drawings.
You can see how the world famous artist captured Brighton during a period of radical development in the 1820s and how his views compared to those of his contemporaries, including John Constable and Henry Eldridge.
At the heart of the exhibition lies Turner’s Brighthelmston, Sussex (1824) purchased last year by the Royal Pavilion & Museums after being in private ownership for more than a century.
It is the only Turner watercolour to feature the Royal Pavilion and was bought with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, The Art Fund and The Royal Pavilion & Museums Foundation.
Turner first visited Brighton around 1796, but it was only in the 1820s that he became more familiar with it as an occasional visitor. His most extensive survey of the town took place in 1824, when many of the features he observed had recently been completed, such as the Royal Pavilion, the Albion Hotel, and the celebrated Chain Pier.
Exhibits will include works from Tate, among them two oil paintings by Turner – The Chain Pier, Brighton and Brighton Beach, with the Chain Pier in the Distance, from the West– plus four of the artist’s sketchbooks containing drawings made during his visits to Brighton and surrounding areas of Sussex. The exhibition also features loans from the Victoria and Albert Museum and private collections, along with works from the Royal Pavilion & Museums’ own collection.
Councillor Geoffrey Bowden, chair of Brighton & Hove City Council’s Economic Development and Culture Committee, said: “This exhibition celebrates the fact that we have brought Turner’s watercolour Brighthelmston, Sussex back for public display after more than 100 years behind closed doors.
“We are thrilled that local residents and visitors from this country and across the world will now be able to enjoy the painting, and see it in the wider context of a collection of views of Brighton by Turner and other artists of his day.”
Become a Member and see it free! You can attend an exclusive Private View of Turner In Brighton on Friday 1 November by becoming a member of the Royal Pavilion & Museums Foundation.
Membership offers great benefits all year round, and helps support our city’s greatest treasures.
From as little as £20 a year, membership gives you:
• Unlimited free entry to all paying museum exhibitions including Turner In Brighton and Subversive Design at Brighton Museum
• Unlimited free entry to the Royal Pavilion and Preston Manor
• Invitations to Private Views, members-only events, and a regular newsletter
• Special prices on all public events: concerts, lectures and workshops
• 10% discount in our shops (20% in November and December)
• Free unlimited access to the Royal Pavilion tearoom and tearoom offers
• Accompanying children and grandchildren go free!
You can join today by calling 01273 292789 or visit www.pavilionfoundation.org.
Join by 31 October and quote ‘Latest’ to claim your free invitation to the Private View of ‘Turner In Brighton’ on 1 November 2013.
