Turner's Vision at Petworth Exhibition

21 June – 16 November 2025.

With more than 20 rarely seen pieces, the exhibition includes oil paintings and works on paper, on loan from Tate and several private lenders. They give a fascinating insight into Turner’s artistic approach, his experiments with colour, materials and techniques – as well as his relationship with Petworth and Petworth’s owner, George O’Brien Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont. This exhibition is a celebration of an extraordinary landscape seen through the eyes of a master painter.

£10 admission per adult, £5 per child, under 5s go free. Admission fees for this exhibition apply to National Trust members. No pre-booking required.

A fruitful patronage

Turner was a frequent guest at Petworth, returning year after year throughout the 1820s and 30s. The 3^rd Earl of Egremont was a collector of British art and patron to many artists of the time who were also repeat visitors, including John Constable (1776-1837) and C. R. Leslie (1794-1859).

Turner enjoyed the beauty of Petworth, and was able to observe, consider and record the great country estate without the usual constraints that were placed on a visitor to such a large house. This freedom to explore and create was encouraged by his enlightened host.

The 3^rd Earl’s patronage of Turner led to a magnificent commission of four landscapes depicting Petworth and other local views which currently hang in the Carved Room. Several studies of these paintings form part of the exhibition.

A rare collection

This exhibition will give visitors a unique opportunity to dig deeper into Turner’s experiments with colour and his use of materials. From the remarkably expressive studies that reflect his experimentation as an artist, to the magnificence of the final paintings such as ‘Dewy Morning’ (1810), the works on display map a clear artistic journey.

The works on display offer a fascinating insight into the methods of this most innovative of artists, and sit alongside the 20 oil paintings that hang in Petworth’s permanent collection. Visitors will then be able to step into Capability Brown’s 700-acre deer park, the very landscape that inspired Turner, and which has barely changed in the years since.

"We’re so excited to be able to show visitors another aspect of the work that Turner produced during his time at Petworth. The exhibition will enrich people’s understanding of a place that played such a significant role in his life." - Dr Emily Knight, Property Curator, Petworth House.

Turner’s Vision at Petworth is part of Turner 250, a year-long festival of special exhibitions and events across the country to mark 250 years since the birth of the renowned artist.

Turner’s Vision at Petworth runs from 21 June until 16 November 2025.