Dealing with the Scarlet Pimpernel: George IV’s Sèvres porcelain collection with Sylvia Sagona

George IV’s taste for the exotic, rare and extravagant produced what is considered the finest collection of Sèvres porcelain in the world and has made him the single greatest English Royal collector of art and instigator of architectural projects. He was passionately fond of lavish decoration and display and would often use secret pathways to obtain valued pieces.  The sumptuous collection of French porcelain, art and clocks formed glamorous accessories to the visual theatricality of his glittering receptions held at Carlton House and later at his transformed Buckingham Palace.

Sylvia Sagona completed her post graduate studies of a Maitrise ès Lettres at the University of Aix en Provence where she lived and lectured at the university of Aix-Marseilles before taking up a lectureship in the Department of French and Italian studies at the University of Melbourne. She has taught in Paris on 19th century art and literature in partnership with the French Centre d' Etudes pédagogiques de Sèvres, and in Rome with the Università Roma 2 on how the Popes used the city layout for Christian propaganda.

Sylvia retired to create her own cultural travel company, Travels Through Time, and led study tours through Europe until 2023. During this time, she worked with the French-German television channel Arte and SBS to create a documentary on the invention of the department store. She has recently spent time in Rome filming a YouTube series on notorious Roman women from Vestal Virgins to Fascist spies.

Your ticket includes tea or Market Lane coffee served before the presentation, and time to browse our exclusive range of books, gifts, and homewares at TJC Emporium.

This event is presented on-site at The Johnston Collection. Please see your ticket for details. NOTE: Tickets for this event do not include access to our house museum, Fairhall. Guided tours of the current exhibition can be booked separately.

This event is supported by The Colin Holden Charitable Trust.

Image: Thomas Lawrence, King George IV depicted wearing coronation robes and four collars of chivalric orders: the Golden Fleece, Royal Guelphic, Bath and Garter, 1812. Collection of HM King Charles III.