Victor Hugo exhibition to open at the Royal Academy of Arts in March 2025

Rarely seen artistic works by Victor Hugo will go on display at the Royal Academy of Arts for the first time in over 50 years.

Victor Hugo, Mushroom, 1850. Pen, brown ink and wash, charcoal, crayon, green, red and white gouache on beige paper, 47.4 x 60.8 cm. Maisons de Victor Hugo, Paris / Guernsey. Photo: CCØ Paris Musées / Maisons de Victor Hugo.

In March 2025, the Royal Academy of Arts will unveil an extraordinary exhibition dedicated to the drawings of Victor Hugo, marking the first comprehensive UK display of his artworks in over 50 years. Best known as the author of Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hugo was also a remarkable artist whose ink and wash creations remained largely private during his lifetime. Featuring approximately 70 works sourced from prominent European collections, the exhibition will trace Hugo’s evolution as an artist, from his early caricatures to dramatic landscapes and experiments with abstraction.

The exhibition, Astonishing Things: The Drawings of Victor Hugo, arranged thematically, will open with Writing and Drawing, exploring the interplay between Hugo’s literary and artistic pursuits. While writing served as his public expression, drawing was a deeply personal activity. This section will reveal how Hugo’s creative processes reflected his fascination with time, nature, and self-mythology, exemplified in enigmatic works like Mushroom (1850). Subsequent sections, including Observation and Imagination and Fantasy and Reality, will delve into Hugo’s unique techniques, such as ink blots and lace imprints, his obsession with castles, and his interplay of figuration and abstraction. Highlights include Lace and Spectres (1855-56) and The Town of Vianden (1871), showcasing Hugo’s innovative approach to perspective and tonal contrast.

Victor Hugo, The Town of Vianden, with Stone Cross, 1871, Brown and black ink, brown and purple wash, graphite and varnish on paper, 25 x 34.5 cm. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris. 

The final section, The Ocean, brings focus to Hugo’s maritime-themed works inspired by his exile in the Channel Islands. Drawings tied to The Toilers of the Sea and Les Misérables will be on display, alongside larger pieces like The Lighthouse at Casquets (1866). Photographs taken by his sons will also offer glimpses into Hugo’s life and creative process. This exhibition promises to be an inspiring journey into the visionary imagination of one of the 19th century’s most celebrated figures.

Date: 21 March - 29 June 2025. Location: Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD. Price: from £17. Concessions available. Book now.