For museums and institutions in the UK it seems to be the season for celebrating British art-historical rivalries. ‘Turner & Constable: Rivals and Originals’ is still running at Tate Britain, and now Blenheim Palace is hosting an exhibition that focuses on the rivalries and grand designs of John Vanbrugh (14 February–10 April). One of several shows commemorating the tercentenary of the architect’s death, the Blenheim exhibition gives us a sense of its subject’s success as a playwright and explores his tempestuous relationship with Sarah Churchill, first Duchess of Marlborough. She oversaw his construction of Blenheim Palace but fell out with him over the grandeur of his plans, eventually banning him from the premises. What they accomplished together, however, is a colossal and widely beloved monument to the English baroque, and much of the palace, from the Great Hall to the Saloon to the rooftop, is given over to this exhibition.
Find out more from Blenheim Palace’s website.
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