Royal Pavilion, Brighton, Doors in the Saloon, designed by Robert Jones in imitation of Chinese lacquer, c.1820.
The Royal Pavilion in Brighton is often considered the most impressive architectural expression of the Romantic imagination and that has become a hallmark of Regency style.
Created between 1787 and 1823 by George IV, the Royal Pavilion is perhaps the most daring and enchanting example of a building that expresses the European fascination with what in the early nineteenth century was considered the “Orient,” in particular China and India. The building, with its Indian-inspired exterior, was the work of the renowned architect John Nash, who with the contributions of several other gifted and inventive architects, artists and designers, created a building that draws you in, takes you on a journey and plays with your senses.
Drawing on recent research and conservation projects, this captivating talk for ARTscapades by Brighton Pavilion curator Dr Alexandra Loske, celebrates the colours and sensual beauty of the interiors while situating the Royal Pavilion in the context of the time of its creation and development under royal ownership, from its beginning in the wake of the French Revolution, through its transformation and extension during and just after the Napoleonic Wars, to its fate and legacy in the early Victorian era.
The Royal Pavilion, Brighton: A Regency Palace of Pleasure and Sensation by Dr Alexandra Loske is published by Yale University Press, London (24 June 2025). Talk ticket holders will receive a discount code to use when ordering via their website.
This event will be recorded. Ticket holders are emailed a link to view the recording afterwards which is available for one month. Proceeds from ARTscapades ticket sales benefit museums, galleries and other arts-based organisations and projects.
This is an online event hosted on Zoom which can be watched live with Q&A, or on-demand for one month afterwards. You will receive your link to access the event in your email confirmation and the on-demand link after the event ends.