Austen and Turner: A Country House Encounter at Harewood House

To celebrate the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen and J.M.W. Turner, both born in 1775, the exhibition 'Austen and Turner: A Country House Encounter' has opened at Harewood House in Yorkshire, running until October 19, 2025. Curated in collaboration with the Centre for Eighteenth Century Studies at the University of York, it features loans from the Royal Academy of Arts and Tate Britain. For the first time, Austen's writing and Turner's painting are directly compared. The country house setting reflects the social microcosms Austen described, while Turner depicted Harewood in his youth. Exhibits include paintings, first editions, rare manuscripts (such as the unfinished novel Sanditon), period costumes, and original objects. A rich events program includes Regency balls, conferences, readings, and family workshops. The exhibition also encourages visits to other historic houses. The article further suggests an itinerary through English countryside locations associated with Austen and Turner, including Fountains Abbey, Allerton Castle, Chatsworth House (which hosts 'The Gorgeous Nothings: Flowers at Chatsworth' until October 5, 2025), Lyme Park, Rousham House, Ilford Manor, and Sandycombe Lodge, Turner's self-designed home in Twickenham.