One for Clarence House? Camilla admires a quirky Salvador Dali sofa as she visits an exhibition celebrating the modern artistic heritage of Sussex 

  • Duchess of Cornwall visited Two Temple Place in Sussex on Tuesday 
  • Attended the exhibition Sussex Modernism: Retreat and Rebellion 
  • Was seen admiring Dali's Mae West Lips Sofa created in 1938
  • She purchased a milk jug, lamp and lamp shade at the gift shop  

By Martha Cliff for MailOnline

Published: 12:58 EST, 7 February 2017 | Updated: 13:01 EST, 7 February 2017

A pouting red sofa stopped the Duchess of Cornwall in her tracks when she visited an exhibition celebrating Sussex's modern artistic heritage.

Camilla appeared fascinated by the Mae West Lips Sofa created in 1938 by the famous artist Salvador Dali and Edward James, collector and patron of the surrealists.

The Duchess was shown the striking piece during a visit to the exhibition Sussex Modernism: Retreat and Rebellion.

The Duchess of Cornwall seemed very taken with the Mae West Lips Sofa created in 1938 by the famous artist Salvador Dali and Edward James during a visit to Sussex on Tuesday

The Duchess of Cornwall seemed very taken with the Mae West Lips Sofa created in 1938 by the famous artist Salvador Dali and Edward James during a visit to Sussex on Tuesday

Staged in the stunning surroundings of Two Temple Place - the neo-gothic mansion of American-born William Waldorf Astor - the free attraction features the works of artists like Henry Moore and Vanessa Bell.

The exhibition examines why so many radical artists and writers were drawn to Sussex in the first half of the 20th century, from the Bloomsbury Group at Charleston, to the art and craft of Eric Gill and David Jones in Ditchling.

After the Duchess had posed in front of the red-lipped sofa Nathaniel Hepburn, director of the Ditchling Museum of Art and Craft, which has loaned artwork to the exhibition, outlined the importance of Sussex to the artists. 

Camilla looked charming in a royal blue two piece suit accessorised with a purple scarf
She carried out her engagement at Two Temple Place the home to the Sussex Modernism: Retreat and Rebellion exhibition

Camilla looked charming in a royal blue two piece suit as she carried out her engagement at Two Temple Place the home to the Sussex Modernism: Retreat and Rebellion exhibition 

The Duchess was shown various works on display including a Portrait of Vanessa Bell, sister of Virginia Woolf which she stands in front of here 

The Duchess was shown various works on display including a Portrait of Vanessa Bell, sister of Virginia Woolf which she stands in front of here 

He said after meeting the Duchess: 'It's great for the people to know the impact that Sussex has had on the surrealist movement - I didn't know the extent of it, it inspired so many artists.'

He said: 'It is where many of the radical innovations were happening in British art.

'From the craft community in Ditchling, the post-impressionist influence in Bloomsbury at Charleston, through to surrealism and 1930s socialism - all was happening within a few miles of each other along this coast in Sussex.

Camilla enjoyed meeting actor and comic Sanjeev Bhaskar (pictured), the chancellor of Sussex University, which is a partner of the exhibition

Camilla enjoyed meeting actor and comic Sanjeev Bhaskar (pictured), the chancellor of Sussex University, which is a partner of the exhibition

Camilla admires Bathers by the Pond by Duncan Grant during her tour of the exhibition 

Camilla admires Bathers by the Pond by Duncan Grant during her tour of the exhibition 

'They were close to London where they could earn a living and they were close to the continent, the ferry from Newhaven to Dieppe, which still runs now, meant they had easy access to the continent and to the ideas coming out of Paris.' 

During the tour the Duchess tried her hand at some origami when she joined a group of children from Ditchling primary school on a visit to the exhibition.

She sat down and attempted to make a paper tulip under the guidance of storyteller Josh Gaillemin, who was showing the group what to do.

Clearly a scarf fan Camilla could be seen admiring several in the gift shop of the exhibition 

Clearly a scarf fan Camilla could be seen admiring several in the gift shop of the exhibition 

She eventually settled on buying a milk jug (pictured here) as well as a lampshade and a lamp

She eventually settled on buying a milk jug (pictured here) as well as a lampshade and a lamp

At one point Camilla, who struggled a little when the folding became particularly tricky, asked the children: 'Has anyone got it wrong?' and a sea of hands shot up.

Before leaving the Duchess browsed in the visitor's shop and bought a lamp and lampshade and a milk jug.

She also briefly chatted to the actor and comic Sanjeev Bhaskar, the chancellor of Sussex University, which is a partner of the exhibition.

Camilla didn't seem as taken with Log Box by Duncan Grant during her tour 

Camilla didn't seem as taken with Log Box by Duncan Grant during her tour 

 

 

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