The Invention of British Art

Bendor Grosvenor's journey through 12,000 years of British art reveals the distinctiveness of British society, culture, and history, and explores the cultural, political, and economic factors that shaped it. The book is beautifully illustrated and provocative, offering a fresh perspective on the glories of British art.

Format: Hardback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 10 October 2024
Publisher: Elliott & Thompson Limited

 ‘An intellectually thrilling 400-page romp through 12,000 years of our often brutal history Daily Telegraph Britain has produced some of the worlds most famous artists and paintings. But what made British art ‘great? Was it the individual genius of artists like Hogarth and Constable? Or were their careers shaped by a distinctly ‘British society,culture and history? And if so,why has that distinctiveness been overlooked,and why have we ignored so many of the characters who helped create the story of British art? In The Invention of British Art , Bendor Grosvenor embarks on a journey of discovery through an incredible array of artworks and artists from 10,000 BCE to the nineteenth century,revealing how the art from these isles was created,what made it distinctive,and why it took so long to emerge. From folk art to the role of female artists,from the influences of invaders to the colonised territories of the British Empire,the book embraces previously overlooked contributions to the story of British art and explores the cultural,political and economic factors that helped to shape it.  Beautifully illustrated throughout, The Invention of British Art  is a provocative and captivating survey of the glories of British art.
Bendor Grosvenor's journey to the heart of British art takes him in directions that have never previously been trodden. A triumph. Waldemar Januszczak describes the book as an "intellectually thrilling 400-page romp through 12,000 years of our often brutal history." Britain has produced some of the world's most famous artists and paintings, but what made British art "great"? Was it the individual genius of artists like Hogarth and Constable, or were their careers shaped by a distinctly "British society, culture, and history"? And if so, why has that distinctiveness been overlooked, and why have we ignored so many of the characters who helped create the story of British art?

In The Invention of British Art, Bendor Grosvenor embarks on a journey of discovery through an incredible array of artworks and artists from 10,000 BCE to the nineteenth century, revealing how the art from these isles was created, what made it distinctive, and why it took so long to emerge. From folk art to the role of female artists, from the influences of invaders to the colonized territories of the British Empire, the book embraces previously overlooked contributions to the story of British art and explores the cultural, political, and economic factors that helped to shape it. Beautifully illustrated throughout, The Invention of British Art is a provocative and captivating survey of the glories of British art.

Bendor Grosvenor's journey to the heart of British art takes him in directions that have never previously been trodden. A triumph. Waldemar Januszczak describes the book as an "intellectually thrilling 400-page romp through 12,000 years of our often brutal history." Britain has produced some of the world's most famous artists and paintings, but what made British art "great"? Was it the individual genius of artists like Hogarth and Constable, or were their careers shaped by a distinctly "British society, culture, and history"? And if so, why has that distinctiveness been overlooked, and why have we ignored so many of the characters who helped create the story of British art?

In The Invention of British Art, Bendor Grosvenor embarks on a journey of discovery through an incredible array of artworks and artists from 10,000 BCE to the nineteenth century, revealing how the art from these isles was created, what made it distinctive, and why it took so long to emerge. From folk art to the role of female artists, from the influences of invaders to the colonized territories of the British Empire, the book embraces previously overlooked contributions to the story of British art and explores the cultural, political, and economic factors that helped to shape it. Beautifully illustrated throughout, The Invention of British Art is a provocative and captivating survey of the glories of British art.

Weight: 1482g
Dimension: 200 x 254 x 37 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781783968091