Between the Covers with Vita: An Exhibition

The Collection

Vita Sackville-West is known the world over as one of the 20th century’s most influential gardeners and whose same-sex relationships with writers like Virginia Woolf have been well documented. However, Vita’s output as a writer who explored love and identity was prolific, but much of her work has fallen into obscurity.

On display for the first time will be a rare copy of Vita's only murder mystery Devil at Westease, as well as items from her personal collection such as a letter opener made from a shoe belonging to her grandmother 'Pepita'. 

Also on display are books that reflect the influence different women had on Vita's life and writings. Her first published poem, The Dancing Elf, was dedicated to 'RG' (her first love and schoolmate Rosamund Grosvenor), while Challenge was banned from release in the UK by her own mother after the novel was found to parallel Vita's own affair with Violet Trefusis. 

A gild leather-bound book of Italian verse, gifted to Vita from her mother Lady Sackville on her 19th birthday, can be seen alongside other significant items such as the copy of Virginia Woolf's Orlando manuscript, usually displayed at the nearby National Trust property Knole. 

The Minerva Printing Press

Frequent visitors may recognise the printing press on display in the Oast Exhibition Space (pictured below). It is a ‘Minerva’ platen hand-set printing press, known as the ‘Hogarth Press’, and made of cast iron with steel and wood, built c. 1915.

This is the press on which Virginia and Leonard Woolf printed some of the earliest books published by the Hogarth Press, the publishing company they founded in 1917. 

This machine was thought to have been given by Virginia and Leonard as a house-warming gift when Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson bought Sissinghurst Castle in 1930. 

Previously housed in the 2nd floor room of the Tower, the press was relocated in the summer of 2022 to the Oast Exhibition space. This allowed the removal of floorboards to enable vital conservation work on Vita’s Writing Room ceiling.

Today, it has pride of place in the exhibition. 

About the artist

The exhibition features a series of illustrations and an animated film by artist Sarah Tanat-Jones, who has previously illustrated the book ‘Queer Heroes’ (2019) which features LGBTQ+ people from history.

Based in Bristol, Sarah is known for her fascination with printed textures, brushstrokes, and harmonious colours.

Specialising in portraits, vernacular architecture, and storytelling, she has collaborated with well-known publications and brands such as The New Yorker, Observer, Penguin, and Waitrose.

Outside of work, she is a mother of two and enjoys playing the drums and singing in a Georgian polyphonic choir.

Acknowledgements

For the exhibition research, the National Trust has worked with the University of Barcelona. 

With thanks to the National Portrait Gallery and The Little Greene Paint Company.