A new exhibition celebrating the 300th anniversary of ‘Capability’ Brown is to open at Blenheim Palace on February 13.
Blenheim Palace was one of Brown’s most significant landscape projects. Commissioned by the 4th Duke of Marlborough in 1763, he spent a total of 11 years transforming the Palace’s landscaped parkland.
The new exhibition features maps, plans, paintings, pictures, costumes and historic artefacts to bring the life of one of the world’s most illustrious landscape designers to life.
Among the highlights is a 10ft-sized recreation of one of Brown’s famous ‘tree-moving machines’ which has been painstakingly reconstructed by Blenheim Palace’s own carpenters from a single surviving image.
Alongside specially-commissioned artworks featuring his most celebrated views, the exhibition also features drawings of the lake and dam under construction, as well as a film by modern gardener Diarmuid Gavin reflecting on the influence of Brown’s work at Blenheim Palace.
The exhibition is in partnership with The Embroiderers Guild and will feature stunning hand-made pieces by some of the Guild’s talented members, depicting the Parkland at Blenheim Palace.
Believed to have been born in 1716, Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown was the most sought-after landscape designer of the 18th century.
He was at the forefront of a new style of ‘naturalistic’ landscape gardening which replaced formalised, geometric garden layouts with more flowing and open parkland.
Brown reputedly earned his nickname by reassuring his aristocratic clients their estates had the ‘capability’ for improvement.
Adult £14.90, Concession £10.90, Child £6.90.
