Tate Britain is one of four Tate art museums in England, specializing in British art from the Renaissance to present day. Its permanent collection includes works by famous artists such as JMW Turner, and it hosts the annual Turner Prize competition. Entry to the main galleries is free.
Tate Britain is one of the four original Tate art museums in England, with the other three being Tate Modern, Tate Liverpool and Tate St. Ives. Located on Millbank in London, Tate Britain has specialized in British art since the early Renaissance. The original Tate Gallery, which opened to the public in 1897, consisted mainly of Sir Henry Tate’s art collection. In the 1990s the collection was divided, with British and international modern art moving into the new Tate Modern museum and the renamed Tate Britain being devoted entirely to British art.
Tate Britain’s permanent collection contains the world’s largest collection of British art, covering all major movements from the 1500s to 2011. Of particular interest are the displays of Elizabethan-era portraits and works by the Pre-Raphaelites and contemporary British artists. The works of the Romantic painters William Blake and John Constable also feature prominently in the collection.
Perhaps the most famous exhibit is that of the landscape painter JMW Turner (1775-1851). Turner is considered one of the most important forerunners of the French Impressionist painters. He became known as the “Painter of Light” for his talent for showing the interplay between time and landscape in his dramatic and dynamic paintings and watercolours.
In 1984, Tate Britain began a competition known as the Turner Prize in honor of JMW Turner. Works by four selected British artists, all under the age of 50, are exhibited each year, with the winner being announced in December. This award has often been the subject of controversy, with some critics questioning the objectivity of the judges, the quality of the performances, or other matters.
Entry to Tate Britain’s main galleries is free, although entry to special exhibitions may incur a fee. Visitors should be aware that items from the permanent collection are displayed on a rotating basis. A list of current shows can be viewed online.
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