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18th-century Britain

Works made in Britain in the 18th century.

42 works · hang 2004 ·

The rooms are imagined; every work on their walls is real.

Walk this roomRehang this room

First room, north wall

  1. Portrait of the Ladies Amabel and Mary Jemima Yorke, by Joshua Reynolds, c. 1761
    Portrait of the Ladies Amabel and Mary Jemima YorkeJoshua Reynolds, c. 1761Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. A work made of oil on canvas.
    Mr. Quick as Vellum in Addison's DrummerSamuel De Wilde, 1792Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  3. This is a drawing showing a pig performing a trick for an audience. It depicts a group of people watching the pig interacting with cards on the floor. The detailed image shows the varied facial expressions of the audience members. There is text at the top of the image suggesting the pig has a unique ability, possibly related to languages. The drawing captures a moment of entertainment in a satirical style, with lines and cross-hatching used to emphasize the humor.
    The Wonderful PigThomas Rowlandson, 1785Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

First room, south wall

  1. A work made of engraved letterhead, pen and ink calligraphy, and graphite ruling on parchment, folded with strap and (missing) seal.
    Recovery Document (Land Title Grant)Unrecorded British maker, 1702/14 (Queen Anne period)Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. A work made of brush and black ink wash, with pen and black ink and opaque white and gray watercolor, on cream laid paper.
    A Hero Born on a Bier, from The Master of Giants PortfolioPrince Hoare, 1779Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  3. This painting is a full-length portrait of a woman with her body facing the right and her head turned toward us. She has light skin, curly gray hair, arched eyebrows, and a small mouth in a neutral expression. She wears an elegant light-colored dress with a large bow on the back and a large, dark, feathered hat, and she has a flower tucked in her arms, which also gather up some of her skirts. The background shows tall trees, with the edge of a wall visible in the upper-right corner. The color scheme of the painting is mostly olive-green, and everything has a green tint.
    Georgiana, Duchess of DevonshireGainsborough Dupont, c. 1787/1796Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  4. Small Landscape, ca. 1750-1800
    Small LandscapeUnrecorded British maker, ca. 1750-1800Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Second room, south wall

  1. A work made of varnished gouache, over black and red chalks, on cream laid paper, laid down on canvas, stretched on a wooden stretcher and varnished again.
    Wooded Landscape with Village SceneThomas Gainsborough, early 1770s (not later than 1772)Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. The image shows a forest by a serene, tree-lined body of water. The horizon is high with tall trees extending close to it, creating a sense of depth. The brushstrokes and watercolor application are delicate, capturing textures of leaves and water gently. The color palette includes muted greens, soft browns, and hints of blue and cream. Closest to us is a dense cluster of trees on the right, curving over the water. Across the water, other tree clusters and shrubs recede into the misty background towards the left.
    Peamore, DevonJohn White Abbott, 1799Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. This is a drawing of a seated figure on a large bird. The image depicts a classically draped figure seated on a stylized bird. The figure holds an open book and gazes into the distance. The bird has sharp features and spread wings. The background contains swirling clouds. The scene is framed with a border, and there is text at the bottom. The lines are bold and the shades are muted.
    Saint John the EvangelistJohn Skippe, 1771Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  4. A work made of oil on canvas.
    Sir Thomas Rumbold, Bt.Joshua Reynolds, 1788Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

Second room, north wall

  1. The Dutton Family in the Drawing Room of Sherborne Park, Gloucestershire, by Johann Zoffany, c. 1772
    The Dutton Family in the Drawing Room of Sherborne Park, GloucestershireJohann Zoffany, c. 1772Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. From a rocky shoreline, we look on several light-skinned people working by the sea with a boat and a net in this freely painted, almost square seascape. The scene is framed by a silhouette of low boulders along the lower right corner, and a towering cream-white rock rising two-thirds of the way up the composition to our left. Scrubby, celery-green vegetation grows on the rocky outcropping. Near the center, close to the towering white rocks, three people sit, reaching for something near one end of a boat while a fourth person braces against the rock, presumably to push the boat out to the sea. Closer to us, three people on the shore work with a net. Two stand with the net hooked over their shoulders, and a third person crouches in the water with head down. The people all wear simple shirts and pants in shades of tan, mustard yellow, burnt orange, and pale blue. All but two wear hats. The sea meets the shore with frothy white foam and cresting, low waves. The sea beyond fades from pale sage green to arctic blue along the horizon, which comes about a third of the way up the composition. Two sail boats tilt against the wind in the distance. Pale, smoky lavender-purple clouds drift across the ice-blue sky.
    Seashore with FishermenThomas Gainsborough, c. 1781/1782Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Third room, north wall

  1. Captain George K. H. Coussmaker (1759–1801), by Joshua Reynolds, 1782
    Captain George K. H. Coussmaker (1759–1801)Joshua Reynolds, 1782Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. Virgil's Tomb by Moonlight, with Silius Italicus Declaiming, by Joseph Wright of Derby, 1779
    Virgil's Tomb by Moonlight, with Silius Italicus DeclaimingJoseph Wright of Derby, 1779Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  3. The image depicts a portrait of an individual with the upper half of their body visible. The person is facing forward with their head slightly turned to the side, looking directly at the viewer. They have a fair complexion, with distinct facial features, including a rounded face and closed lips. The hair is styled in an 18th-century manner, with curls around the ears. They are wearing a dark coat with red lapels and brass buttons, over a white shirt with ruffled details. There are no visible jewelry or objects in their hands. The background is a textured, earth-toned surface.
    William PittGainsborough Dupont, 1787/1796Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington