Women and Power: Misrepresented?

Misrepresented

Cliveden’s a property with a history of powerful females. And, to commemorate the generations of women who have lived and visited here, we’re hosting a year-long programme in 2018 to celebrate their lives.

Throughout 2018, we’re looking at four women who lived at Cliveden and comparing different accounts of them from their contemporaries, the press, and the history books. How did people of their time view them? What legacy have they left behind and how do we see them now with the benefit of hindsight? Have they been portrayed fairly, or have they – like so many others - been misrepresented? 

The women we're looking at from Cliveden's infamous past are;

•    Elizabeth Villers: The Royal Mistress: 1657 – 1733
•    Princess Augusta: The Scheming Princess 1719 - 1772
•    Harriet, Duchess of Sutherland : The Champagne Socialist 1806 – 1868
•    Nancy Astor: The Rattlesnake in the House 1879 - 1964
 

Elizabeth Villiers

Cliveden's Women of past  

Find out more about the intriguing women who once called Cliveden their home.

Cliveden’s Women

Within the historic walls of Blenheim Pavilion we're display a selection of local women’s portraits. Filled with the real-life stories from inspiring women, all of whom have a connection to Cliveden, their stories are brought to live by digital art photographer, Ray Higginbottom. Exhibition lasts from Feburary until to July.

Celebrate the Feminine: Statue Trail

An exploratory self-led trail looking at the representation of femininity in the sculpture at Cliveden. From the athletic deity Diana to the witty soubrette Columbine of Commedia dell'Arte. Trail is on from April until November.

The Wounded Amazon by William Waldorf Astor

Celebrate the Feminine: Statue Trail 

To celebrate Misrepresented? we ask you to come along and take another look at Cliveden's sculpture collection and consider how women are represented in art.

A Room of One’s Own 

For Cliveden’s four women, Cliveden’s gardens were truly ‘the rooms of their own’ – their space to be creatively fulfilled and independent. We’ve invited an artist to express this sense of freedom in a room unboxed within the Sounding Chamber. From June to November.

The Cliveden Suite

We’re commissioning a musician to create four pieces of music based on our four Cliveden women. Together, these will create 'The Cliveden Suite.' From September to November.