This special event will showcase a range of illustrations for Jane Austen’s novels and celebrate the museum’s acquisition of a set of beautiful woodcut prints by artist Sarah Young, specially created this year for the Folio Society.

In the first half of the session we’ll examine a range of early illustrated editions and artworks, including original illustrations by Hugh Thomson, Chris Hammond and Joan Hassall, and illustrated editions including Hugh Thomson’s stunning “Peacock edition” of Pride and Prejudice (George Allen, 1894) and La Famille Elliot ou L’Ancienne Inclination, the first French edition of Persuasion and the first edition of an Austen novel that featured illustrations (an engraved frontispiece in each volume, Engravings by Delvaux after Charles Abraham Chasselat).

We’ll then move into the 21^st century with a deep dive into a brand-new, limited edition collection of Jane Austen’s complete novels published by The Folio Society. We’ll showcase the museum’s most recent acquisition – a collection of beautiful woodcut prints by artist Sarah Young, specially created for the Folio Society edition, and we’ll be joined by Kate Grimwade, production director at The Folio Society, for insights into how the new edition was created, from commissioning artwork and binding materials to layout and typography.

The group will be kept small, so there will be plenty of opportunities to see objects up close, ask questions and discuss as we go along.

When the objects are safely packed away we’ll serve tea and coffee, chat about the objects we’ve seen, and you will have the chance to explore the House and garden.

Details:
Monday 15 September
Times: 11am – 1pm
Location: This event is at Jane Austen’s House in Chawton. Find us
Tickets: £35

 This event includes refreshments, please let us know on booking if you have any dietary requirements.

 Tickets for this event include House entry for this day only. 

 This event is part of our Persuasion Festival, running from 12 – 21 September 2025