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DON'T MISS

Exhibition

Frida: The Making of an Icon

Tate Modern
Until 3 Jan 2027
FREE FOR MEMBERS
Exhibition

Julio Le Parc: Light. Colour. Action.

Tate Modern
Until 3 May 2027
FREE FOR MEMBERS
Become a Member
Back to Tate Britain
Free Display

Historic and Early Modern British Art

Trace the story of British art from the Tudors to WWII

These rooms start with the oldest artworks in Tate's collection. From the Tudor courts, war and revolution to the fight for women's suffrage, discover how art reflects nation-defining moments in our history. Look out for works by Joan Carlile and Mary Beale, two of the first women artists working in Britain as early as 1650. See familiar favourites by William Blake, John Singer Sargent, Gwen John, Vanessa Bell and more. Continue your journey with Modern and Contemporary British Art.

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Tate Britain
Main Floor

Getting Here

Ongoing

Free

9 rooms in Historic and Early Modern British Art

Exiles and Dynasties

Exiles and Dynasties

The grand portraits in this room tell stories of migration and power. They date from the last years of Henry VIII’s reign to the time of Charles I

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Unknown artist, Britain, The Cholmondeley Ladies c.1600–10. Tate.

Court versus Parliament

Court versus Parliament

This is a time of profound change: civil war, regicide and political revolution take place. New ideas are born and new kinds of art flourish

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William Dobson, Endymion Porter c.1642–5. Tate.

Metropolis

Metropolis

London is the largest city in Europe, a hub of global trade and commerce. Artists such as William Hogarth show us the many sides of urban life

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William Hogarth, Heads of Six of Hogarth’s Servants c.1750–5. Tate.

The Exhibition Age

The Exhibition Age

The first public exhibitions bring new audiences and new status to British art. This gallery recreates the spectacle of these early displays

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Sir Joshua Reynolds, Three Ladies Adorning a Term of Hymen 1773. Tate.

Troubled Glamour

Troubled Glamour

At first glance this room presents a glamorous image of 18th-century society. However, the lives and places pictured give clues to the underlying tensions of the time

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George Romney, Mrs Johnstone and her Son (?) c.1775–80. Tate.

Revolution and Reform

Revolution and Reform

These are tumultuous times. Wars and revolutions, technology and trade transform lives across the globe. The art in this room reveals the different ways artists grapple with this turbulence

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John Simpson, Head of a Man, probably Ira Frederick Aldridge exhibited 1827. Tate.

Life and Liberty

Life and Liberty

250 years after the American Revolution (1775–83), this display spotlights the American painters in London who led a parallel ‘revolution’ in art

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John Singleton Copley, The Death of Major Peirson 1782–4. Tate.

Art for the Crowd

Art for the Crowd

Prosperity in Victorian Britain helps art become spectacularly popular. Dramatic images from life and literature attract blockbuster audiences

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John William Waterhouse, The Lady of Shalott 1888. Tate.

Nina Hamnett

Nina Hamnett

This spotlight display explores the work of Nina Hamnett. She was known as the ‘Queen of Bohemia’ for her role in the avant-garde circles of London and Paris

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Nina Hamnett, The Landlady 1918. Tate. © Estate of Nina Hamnett / Bridgeman Images 2023.

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See great art for free at Tate Britain

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Visit Tate Britain with your family

Find out about what's on offer for families at Tate Britain and make the most out of your visit

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