Jane Austen by the Sea looks at the seaside context of Austen’s plots and paint a picture of the leading resort of Brighton in the early nineteenth century, when it was a fashionable ‘watering place’ featured in novels like Pride and Prejudice.
It also features one of her most high profile fans: the Prince Regent (later King George IV), who created the Royal Pavilion. Austen was encouraged to dedicate Emma to him in 1815 – even though she seemed not to approve of his lifestyle.
Highlights of the display include:
The display also reassesses Austen’s relationship with Brighton, in the light of a long misunderstanding arising from a handwritten letter of 8 January 1799. Curator Dr Alexandra Loske said: “For many years, Austen has been quoted as having written: ‘I assure you that I dread the idea of going to Brighton as much as you can do..’, but her sentence actually referred to Bookham, a village in Surrey, rather than Brighton. We now know that Austen may not have felt as negatively about the town as has been thought.”
Jane Austen by the Sea forms part of the Royal Pavilion & Museums' Regency Season 2017, which also includes the exhibition Constable and Brighton, and the display Visions of the Royal Pavilion Estate (both at Brighton Museum & Art Gallery).
