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18th-century Britain

Works made in Britain in the 18th century.

42 works · hang 431 ·

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

Walk this roomRehang this room

First room, north wall

  1. This is a drawing of a bird perched on a branch. The bird is detailed and identified as "Turtur Risorius." It rests on a green textured branch against a plain background. The bird has a black ring around its neck, soft brown plumage with intricate feather patterns, and light pink legs. Its eye is prominent and outlined within its head design. The branch is minimalist with small buds and thin twigs.
    Turtur RisoriusWilliam Home LizarsCourtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. Angel of the Revelation (Book of Revelation, chapter 10), by William Blake, ca. 1803–5
    Angel of the Revelation (Book of Revelation, chapter 10)William Blake, ca. 1803–5Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  3. 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
  4. Black, gray pastel portrait of man in a fur hat.
    Self-Portrait in a Fur CapJoseph Wright of Derby, 1765/68Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

First room, south wall

  1. 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
  2. A work made of oil on canvas.
    Anna Maria Dashwood, later Marchioness of ElyThomas Lawrence, c. 1805Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  3. 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

Second room, south wall

  1. Shown from the waist up, a young, pale-skinned woman with her gray hair piled high atop her head is lit starkly against a dark background in this vertical portrait painting. The woman’s shoulders are angled to our left. Her face is square to us, but she looks off to our right from the corners of her eyes, which are gray rimmed with golden brown around the pupils. She has a thin face, smooth cheeks, a bow-shaped pink mouth, and a narrow chin. Her hair is mostly swept up high under a bank of pearl-white feathers and some sparkling ornaments. A few ringlets hang down the back of her neck. The bodice of her white dress scoops low across her chest and sits just above her sloping shoulders. The dress is adorned with pearls on the sleeves and around the neckline, and the fabric shimmers from silvery white to pale gold. The background is earth-brown around her face and deepens to almost black in the corners.
    Mrs. Paul Cobb MethuenThomas Gainsborough, c. 1776/1777Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. This is a drawing of a winged figure seated on a bird. The image depicts a figure with flowing robes, wings outstretched, holding an open book in one hand. The figure appears to be looking off to the side, with a serene expression. The lower part of the image includes a bird upon which the figure is seated. The bird's head is turned slightly upwards, following the direction in which the figure is gazing. The image is rendered in a warm, monochromatic palette. In the lower section of the image, there is some text, likely Latin.
    Saint John the EvangelistJohn Skippe, 1771Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. John Johnstone, Betty Johnstone, and Miss Wedderburn, by Sir Henry Raeburn, c. 1790/1795
    John Johnstone, Betty Johnstone, and Miss WedderburnSir Henry Raeburn, c. 1790/1795Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Second room, north wall

  1. The image shows a landscape scene from an elevated viewpoint. There are large columns of a classical ruin and a leafy tree on the left. On the right, there is a spreading tree with intricate leaves. In the background, there is a pastoral landscape with figures and animals. A shepherd and a cow are guiding a flock of sheep, and buildings can be seen in the distance. The horizon divides the image into sky and earth. The brushstrokes are detailed, capturing textures effectively. The color palette consists of earthy tones with touches of brighter colors on the figures' clothing.
    Heroic Landscape with Fisherman, Cows, and HorsemenJohn Baptist Jackson, 1744Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. A work made of pen and black ink, over traces of graphite, on tan wove paper, laid down on cream wove paper.
    Athena and the WindsJohn Flaxman, n.d.Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

Third room, north wall

  1. Portrait of Mary Anne Jolliffe, by Gainsborough Dupont, after 1788
    Portrait of Mary Anne JolliffeGainsborough Dupont, after 1788Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. Lindisfarne Castle, Holy Island, Northumberland, by Thomas Girtin, 1796–97
    Lindisfarne Castle, Holy Island, NorthumberlandThomas Girtin, 1796–97Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art