
British Painting
The evolution in British painting mirrors the changes to British style and society between the 18th and 21st centuries. Works in our collection range from Sir Joshua Reynolds’s life-size “Grand Manner” portraits of British aristocrats to John Constable’s realistic views of the English countryside.
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Article: Gilbert Stuart’s Skating Sensation
With "The Skater," Stuart blazed a new path in British portraiture. Its details tell the story of skating in 18th-century Britain.

Article: William Shakespeare’s Plays in Art
See how six artists envisioned the Bard’s plays, from “Romeo and Juliet” to “King Lear.”

Article: Who Is Sir Edwin Landseer? 10 Things to Know
A look at the prodigy who became so famous for his paintings of animals that a dog breed was named after him.
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Painting
Since ancient times, artists have made paintings to tell stories or capture beauty. They’ve used egg tempera, oil, and more recently acrylic to create compositions of all shapes and sizes. The results include radiant altarpieces, striking portraits, luminous landscapes, and abstract expressions.

Dogs
Dogs appear in art as everything from faithful companions and symbols of loyalty and protection to working animals and sporting partners. No painter of canines was more famous than Edwin Landseer. His works were so celebrated that a mastiff breed was named after him.