Hogarth to Turner : British Painting

This book traces some key developments in British 18th- and 19th-century painting, focusing in particular on the outstanding portraits and landscapes in the National Gallery's collection. Compare what rival portrait painters Thomas Gainsborough and Sir Joshua Reynolds offered their sitters: the choice between shimmering colours and expressive brushwork, or ennobling classical references. Their techniques and philosophical ideals would be challenged and developed even further by the next generation. The ground-breaking landscapes that Constable and Turner produced inspired the French Impressionists, and are still among the world's favourite paintings today.

Louise Govier was formerly Adult Learning Manager at the National Gallery and is currently the MLA Museums Clore Leadership Fellow. She has written several books and films which offer engaging ways in to exploring the National Gallery’s collection, including The National Gallery: A Visitor’s Guide.