This magnificent exhibition traces the advances in British art from 1550 to 1850 through around 150 important oil paintings, miniatures, watercolours, drawings, prints, sculptures and decorative arts works from the collection of the Art Gallery of South Australia; the most comprehensive British art collection outside the United Kingdom. It follows the development of art in Britain over three centuries from its mainstay of portraiture, to its successful forays into maritime painting, animal pictures, watercolours, satire and finally and triumphantly landscape painting. It includes works by major British artists of the period including Peake, Reynolds, Gainsborough, Hogarth, Stubbs and Turner and influential émigré artists including van Dyck and Gheeraerts. The exhibition is curated by former Director, Ron Radford AM who is also author of the accompanying book, which is the most substantial Australian publication on British art of the period produced to date.

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