Colours Uncovered at Harewood House

Colour – it’s everywhere! But how much do we really notice it? Visit Colours Uncovered at Harewood House to enjoy colour in all its splendour, a brand new exhibition exploring shades, hues and tints through an amazing collection of objects and artworks.

From the Renaissance to the present day, Colours Uncovered is a thorough exploration of the history and science behind colour. It unlocks connections between colours and scientific discoveries, personal histories, and society as a whole from the 1500s onwards. The display is organised into individual rooms, with each one exploring a different aspect: from colour theory and pigment extraction to historical colour trends and the ways colour can affect our wellbeing. These varied perspectives make for a satisfyingly illuminating experience.

Let’s take a look at some of the more vivid highlights! Fans of old masters will appreciate the 16th century painting Madonna and Child with St John and St Jerome, attributed to Venetian artists Alvise Vivarini and Marco Basaiti. The ultramarine blue used to paint the robe of Virgin Mary is almost water-like, the pure blue pigment created using lapis lazuli.

Bright pink also makes an appearance in the Sèvres porcelain collection from the 1700s. These ornately decorated pieces feature illustrations of flowers, birds and landscape scenes, all framed by bright pink, deep blue and turquoise with gold embellishments. The pots are planted with bulbs from the Harewood gardens, adding another pop of colour.

You’ll find a number of textile pieces too, in calming pastel hues. Max Lamb’s Harewood Rugs (2019) tell a fascinating story of the grounds themselves where craft and land intertwine. The yarn used to make the 24m2 rug was coloured using dyes made from ivy berries, silver birch, eucalyptus and alder harvested from the woods around Harewood House. The final piece is made up of smaller rugs, each one patterned in a way that was entirely dictated by the unpredictable dyeing process, in delicate greens, browns and blues. 

Memory Garden (2023) is also a very special textile treat shown alongside Colours Uncovered. The piece is a large-scale installation by Cecilia Charlton, in beautiful pinks and blues inspired by flowers found in a British garden. It’s currently on loan and shown for the very first time outside London so don’t miss the chance to see it!

As well as artworks, viewers can learn more about pigments and colour theory in a display including colour wheels and historic pigments from the rarely seen collection of the Bradford-based Society of Dyers and Colourists Textile Collection, and a colour spectrum work by artist James Hugonin.

Colours Uncovered is accompanied by a number of exciting events for all ages too so check the website for dates and more details.