Floor plan

Time and placeBritain

Britain

Armies of men march and battle along a rocky outcropping set among huge rock formations and massive buildings under a stormy sky in this horizontal landscape painting. The people we can see all have pale skin. Sheets of rain fall from flint-gray clouds on our left into a valley, though hints of peach brighten the clouds along the mountainous horizon there. In the right half of the sky, light pours down from a brilliant white sun that breaks through white clouds to reveal topaz-blue patches of sky. The horizon comes about halfway up the composition and is lined with rugged white, pale pink, and olive-green mountains on our left and silvery-white buildings along the right half. These structures include two domed buildings and a colosseum among many others. The buildings are all enclosed within city walls buttressed with towers. The land dips precipitously from the rocky cliffs supporting the buildings, to sweep down toward us. A huge outcropping angles up like a ramp between us and the buildings in the distance. A road runs from the walled town toward us, down along the ridge and in front of the outcropping. Countless warriors march in rows of four or five across on the road past a man wearing a feathered helmet and armored breastplate. This man, Joshua, stands on a rocky precipice facing away from us with his right hand raised. He wears a scarlet-red toga under his breastplate, and a royal-blue cape flutters at his left side. He holds a round, copper-colored shield and a spear in his other hand. Two men with gray beards stand near Joshua with their backs to us. Both gesture up to the sky. One holds a slender staff and the other a curling horn. They and another pair of men, who stoop to hold poles used to carry a chest, all wear long, ivory-white robes, cherry-red drapery, and white turbans. The column of soldiers on foot and horseback pass in front of Joshua to a massive battlefield to our left. The fight takes place in a valley that leads back to a river. A bolt of lightning zigzags from the storm clouds and strikes a city in the deep distance. The artist signed the painting in the lower right, “J. Martin.”
Lindisfarne Castle, Holy Island, Northumberland, by Thomas Girtin, 1796–97
A work made of oil on canvas.
A work made of watercolor and gouache, heightened with white gouache, over graphite selectively gum varnished on cream wove card.
The painting depicts an equestrian scene with people and horses in a green landscape. There are several people on horseback, and others standing by horses. Some people are also sitting in horse-drawn carriages. The horses are in a variety of colors, and the people wear formal clothing like suit jackets, top hats, vests, or colorful dresses. People fill the middle of the scene and the green hills that rise to the left, while a wide path is marked off on the right, bordered by fences. There are some tall trees around the area, with people gathering below them. In the distance, a large white building with columns and blue roofs can be seen. There is also a white tent partially behind a hill on the left. The sky above is blue and filled with white and gray clouds.

The works in this room are listed below.

Works in this room

Works made in Britain, from every century in the collection.

First room, north wall

  1. Armies of men march and battle along a rocky outcropping set among huge rock formations and massive buildings under a stormy sky in this horizontal landscape painting. The people we can see all have pale skin. Sheets of rain fall from flint-gray clouds on our left into a valley, though hints of peach brighten the clouds along the mountainous horizon there. In the right half of the sky, light pours down from a brilliant white sun that breaks through white clouds to reveal topaz-blue patches of sky. The horizon comes about halfway up the composition and is lined with rugged white, pale pink, and olive-green mountains on our left and silvery-white buildings along the right half. These structures include two domed buildings and a colosseum among many others. The buildings are all enclosed within city walls buttressed with towers. The land dips precipitously from the rocky cliffs supporting the buildings, to sweep down toward us. A huge outcropping angles up like a ramp between us and the buildings in the distance. A road runs from the walled town toward us, down along the ridge and in front of the outcropping. Countless warriors march in rows of four or five across on the road past a man wearing a feathered helmet and armored breastplate. This man, Joshua, stands on a rocky precipice facing away from us with his right hand raised. He wears a scarlet-red toga under his breastplate, and a royal-blue cape flutters at his left side. He holds a round, copper-colored shield and a spear in his other hand. Two men with gray beards stand near Joshua with their backs to us. Both gesture up to the sky. One holds a slender staff and the other a curling horn. They and another pair of men, who stoop to hold poles used to carry a chest, all wear long, ivory-white robes, cherry-red drapery, and white turbans. The column of soldiers on foot and horseback pass in front of Joshua to a massive battlefield to our left. The fight takes place in a valley that leads back to a river. A bolt of lightning zigzags from the storm clouds and strikes a city in the deep distance. The artist signed the painting in the lower right, “J. Martin.”
    Joshua Commanding the Sun to Stand Still upon GibeonJohn Martin, 1816Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  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

First room, south wall

  1. A work made of oil on canvas.
    The FestivalSir John Edward Poynter, 1875Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. A work made of watercolor and gouache, heightened with white gouache, over graphite selectively gum varnished on cream wove card.
    The Hall, Levens, WestmorelandJoseph Nash, n.d.Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  3. The painting depicts an equestrian scene with people and horses in a green landscape. There are several people on horseback, and others standing by horses. Some people are also sitting in horse-drawn carriages. The horses are in a variety of colors, and the people wear formal clothing like suit jackets, top hats, vests, or colorful dresses. People fill the middle of the scene and the green hills that rise to the left, while a wide path is marked off on the right, bordered by fences. There are some tall trees around the area, with people gathering below them. In the distance, a large white building with columns and blue roofs can be seen. There is also a white tent partially behind a hill on the left. The sky above is blue and filled with white and gray clouds.
    Heaton Park RacesJohn Ferneley, 1829Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Second room, south wall

  1. A work made of red and black chalk on gray wove paper.
    Two Studies of a Right HandThomas Lawrence, July 26, 1800Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  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. 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
  4. GEORGE JAMES DRUMMOND'S ROOM AT OXFORD, 1853
    George James Drummond's Room at Oxford, 1853George Pyne, 1853Courtesy of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

Second room, north wall

  1. Large marine landscape of boats on rough waves, storm clouds.
    Fishing Boats with Hucksters Bargaining for FishJoseph Mallord William Turner, 1837–38Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. Bray Church Yard, by John Varley, 1807
    Bray Church YardJohn Varley, 1807Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art

Third room, north 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. A work made of engraving in black ink with opaque and translucent watercolor on cream laid paper.
    August, from Twelve Months of FlowersHenry Fletcher, n.d.Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  3. 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

Third room, south wall

  1. Loggia of the Ducal Palace, Venice, by John Ruskin, 1849–50
    Loggia of the Ducal Palace, VeniceJohn Ruskin, 1849–50Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. Lear and Cordelia, by Richard Hatfield, 1845
    Lear and CordeliaRichard Hatfield, 1845Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum