Women of Influence: The Pattle Sisters

Guildford

Type:Exhibitions

Watts Gallery, Down Lane, Compton, Guildford, Surrey, GU3 1DQ

Tel: 01483810235

A painting of two women standing in colourful robes, facing the viewer

About

Discover the untold story of seven remarkable sisters whose influence rippled through the worlds of art, literature, photography, and society in the 19th-century. Nicknamed "Pattledom" by the writer William Makepeace Thackeray (1811–1863), the sisters' world was one of rich cross-cultural exchange, where Anglo-Indian heritage, European influence, and artistic experimentation converged in a vibrant social sphere that defied Victorian convention. Whilst the photographer Julia Margaret Cameron (1815–1879) is today the most celebrated of the sisters, this exhibition uncovers their collective impact. Through rarely seen portraits, evocative photographs, treasured possessions, and new research, discover how their influence extended from Calcutta, India (now Kolkata) to Kensington, and from the salons of Little Holland House to the Bloomsbury Group.

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Opening Times

Season (27 Nov 2025 - 4 May 2026)
DayTimes
Monday - Sunday10:30 - 17:00

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