Collection: Drawing in Britain, 1700–1900: New Additions to the Collection

National Gallery of Art

April 2 – August 6, 2023

Drawing in Britain provides an overview of two centuries of British art, using exquisite examples of drawings and watercolors acquired for the permanent collection over the past ten years. The varied selection reflects the National Gallery’s current efforts to supplement the landscapes most readily associated with British art of this period with figural work, ranging from nude studies to portraits. Throughout the exhibition, works by British women provide glimpses into the lives and work of several intriguing but little-known artists. Although the exhibition consists mainly of drawings, these are supplemented with paintings from the permanent collection, providing public access to these important works while the British painting galleries remain closed for renovation.

The exhibition begins with the early 18th century and explores how British artists turned to Europe for inspiration to establish themselves on the international stage. This section includes a preparatory study by prominent decorative painter James Thornhill, demonstrating his familiarity with Italian art, as well as several landscapes made by British artists who visited or studied in Rome, including Alexander Cozens and his son, John Robert Cozens.

The next section traces early developments in British landscape, including the rise of Romanticism and the taste for the picturesque, exploring works by Thomas Gainsborough, John Hoppner, and Cornelius Varley. During the same period, popular subjects also included portraiture and scenes from British literature, and the exhibition introduces examples of these genres by artists such as Daniel Gardner and Henry Fuseli. Animal painting is represented in two studies by Sir Edwin Landseer, one of the most popular animal artists of all time. Amateur artists—both men and women—played a crucial role in British art throughout the centuries. Talented amateurs such as Ezekiel Barton and Miss Selby sketched for recreation, but they also provided an informed audience for public exhibitions and an enthusiastic clientele for the many artists who taught drawing lessons to supplement their income. Among the most important developments in the history of British art was the rise of the watercolor. This is represented in every section of the exhibition, from the delicate “tinted drawings” of artists like Paul Sandby to the spectacular exhibition pieces of William Callow and the figural work of Emily Farmer. Drawing in Britain surveys the varied approaches to watercolor and traces its history as a source of national pride.

The last section of the exhibition explores the many artistic currents of the late 19th century. William Henry Millais applied the principles of the Pre-Raphaelite movement to landscape, while Idyllists such as John William North depicted scenes of rural life. Drawing from the nude model was a crucial part of artistic education throughout much of the century, but women artists were excluded from such classes in most drawing schools. Live-model drawing is represented here with two studies by William Mulready and William Linnell. While women artists are featured throughout the exhibition, works in the last section by Beatrice Godwin Whistler, Edith Martineau, and several others highlight the growing role of women as professional artists.