Description
Book SynopsisAlthough Britain has played a dominant role in European history, its schools of painting have not always been seen as contributing significantly to the great Continental tradition. In this new book, the eminent art historian Andrew Wilton provides an enlightening look at the glories and achievements of British art over the past five centuries. He traces the story of British painting from its hesitant beginnings under the influence of Holbein through its maturity in the time of Hogarth and Reynolds, when it reflected a prosperous society with growing Imperial influence. He then explores the pioneering role of Constable and Turner in the revolutions of the Romantic period, and the enigmatic position of artists in Victorian England, when a stiff moral code came into conflict with the uncertainties of the age of Darwin. In the twentieth century, Wilton shows how the new ideas of Modernism were explored by distinctive personalities from the Bloomsbury Group to Francis Bacon and the School of London. 200 illustrations, 90 in color.
Trade Review'For those interested in the broad expanse of British art, Andrew Wilton’s book is an ideal starting point' - House & Garden
Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. The Renaissance Princes: The Tudors 1500-1603 2. The Renaissance Princes: The Stuarts 1603-1688 3. The Age of Improvement 1688-1750 4. The Age of Industry 1750-1800 5. Romantic Virtuosos 1800-1840 6. Middle-Class Moralities 1840-1860 7. The Apogee of Empire 1860-1910 8. The Grand Illusion 1910-1960 9. A New Reality Since 1960
