You don’t need me to tell you that many of the finest paintings in Britain can be found in London, or that a good chunk of those are clustered in the National Gallery. What, though, of art beyond the capital? Recently, my editor set me a challenge: to identify the United Kingdom’s 100 greatest paintings on public display outside London.
Such is the strength in depth of the nation’s holdings in art beyond the M25 that whittling down the list proved tough, but a couple of principles guided me. First, I wanted to ensure geographical variety, to represent almost every corner of the UK, from the Isle of Bute to the Isle of Wight.
Second, I was after a chronological sweep, so that the list would simultaneously provide a history of art and collecting in this country. Various entries reflect, say, the cosmopolitanism of the arts under Charles I, or the longstanding interest of British collectors in 17th-century Dutch painting. The importance of royal portraiture is a principal theme; likewise, the impact of the Italian Renaissance.
Inevitably, the final list is partial and subjective; no doubt, I’ve ignored some first-rate paintings (consciously or otherwise). Perhaps I have overlooked your favourite. Please let me know what I may have missed.
Entries are organised first by region (you can skip to the relevant one below), and then in chronological order within each region.
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