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18th-century Britain

Works made in Britain in the 18th century.

42 works · hang 992 ·

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

Walk this roomRehang this room

First room, north wall

  1. A work made of oil on canvas.
    Theophilia GwatkinJoshua Reynolds, 1776–81Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. Elizabeth Farren (born about 1759, died 1829), Later Countess of Derby, by Thomas Lawrence, 1790
    Elizabeth Farren (born about 1759, died 1829), Later Countess of DerbyThomas Lawrence, 1790Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  3. 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

First room, south wall

  1. Portrait of Catherine Grey, Lady Manners, by Thomas Lawrence, 1794
    Portrait of Catherine Grey, Lady MannersThomas Lawrence, 1794Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. Cottage Children (The Wood Gatherers), by Thomas Gainsborough, 1787
    Cottage Children (The Wood Gatherers)Thomas Gainsborough, 1787Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Second room, south wall

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. A work made of pen and black ink and brush and black ink wash, with touches of pen and brown ink, on ivory laid paper.
    Hannah Presenting Samuel to EliJohn Flaxman, c. 1783Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

Second room, north wall

  1. Lord Rothes, 1768
    Lord RothesUnrecorded British maker, 1768Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. The image shows a pheasant with vivid green and blue plumage and intricate golden patterns on its wings. The bird has long, patterned tail feathers extended to the right. The background includes palm trees, rocky outcrops, and distant hills.
    Phasianus VersicolorWilliam Home LizarsCourtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Third room, north wall

  1. A work made of engraving in black ink with opaque and translucent watercolor on cream laid paper.
    May, from Twelve Months of FlowersHenry Fletcher, n.d.Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. Portrait of Colonel Charles Heathcote, by Joseph Wright of Derby, c. 1771–72
    Portrait of Colonel Charles HeathcoteJoseph Wright of Derby, c. 1771–72Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art

Third room, south wall

  1. 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
  2. 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