The Legend of King Arthur

Now showing at Tullie: discover the legend of King Arthur through the lens of the Victorian imagination, at a fascinating new exhibition at Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery.

The Legend of King Arthur: A Pre-Raphaelite Love Story will run at Tullie from 4 February – 3 June 2023. Described by The Times as a ‘swoon of a show’, it offers the chance to learn about the Arthurian legend through the eyes of Pre-Raphaelite artists. On display is a stunning collection of paintings, drawings, tapestries and more by an incredible line-up of artists including:

• Dante Gabriel Rossetti
• Arthur Hughes
• John William Waterhouse
• Edward Burne-Jones
• William Morris
• Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale
• Elizabeth Siddal
• Evelyn de Morgan

The exhibition will also explore King Arthur’s connection to Cumbria: a land steeped in myth and legend. Here, stories tell of Arthurian castles; the Knights of the Round Table; sweeping landscapes; and historic battles. This exhibition looks to answer the age-old debate: Cumbria or Cornwall! How? Through highlighting key locations from legend a combination of key Pre-Raphaelite works alongside works from the Tullie collection.

As well as a fascinating collection of artistic works, the exhibition offers plenty for children to enjoy – making for a family friendly day out:

• A castle (you can even go inside!) furnished with objects from the human history and natural sciences collections
• Traditional games and a series of quests to complete and lift Excalibur from the stone
• Story writing prompts to encourage budding authors to pen their own tales
• Arthurian activities in February and May half terms

After Tullie, the exhibition will move to Falmouth Art Gallery in Cornwall.

The Legend of King Arthur: A Pre-Raphaelite Love Story has been curated by Natalie Rigby, Falmouth Art Gallery.

We are very proud to have Visit Lake District, Cumbria as a partner on this leg of the tour. This exhibition has also been kindly supported by Visit Cornwall, Visit England and Cornwall Museums Partnership.

All photography by Stuart Walker / Tullie House