Brighton has transformed itself several times since the middle ages and is today together with it surroundings, culturally one of the most exciting places in Britain, boasting an impressive coast lined with chalk cliffs and the rolling South Downs as a backdrop. Just 10 kilometres east of Brighton is the picturesque county town of Lewes, with a stunning array of historic buildings.The people of Lewes are known for their revolutionary spirit, and host the biggest bonfire celebrations in the country every year on 5 November.

Alexandra Loske is an art historian and curator with a particular interest in late eighteenth and early nineteenth century European art and architecture. She has been working at the University of Sussex since 1999 and at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton since 2008. She has curated a number of exhibition and displays, including ones on Regency Colour, exotic and non-native animals, local history and the life and times of Jane Austen. She has lectured and published widely on colour history and relat