TATE BRITAIN

A visit to Tate Britain is a must if you want to discover the great British artists. This museum boasts an ever-expanding collection of British and international art, now numbering over 70,000 works. Make sure you allow plenty of time for your visit. It is one of the four main Tate sites. Originally known as the National Gallery of British Art, it was a single site for a small collection of British art. The project was initiated by Sir Henry Tate, sugar magnate and art lover, who decided to donate his works to the British nation. Due to lack of space, the National Gallery was unable to accommodate this art collection, and so the project was born to create a museum open to the public, including Henry Tate's gift as well as other works by British artists from various collections. In 1892, the site of a former prison, Millbank Penitentiary, was chosen as the location for the new National Gallery of British Art, under the direction of the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square. Architect Sidney R. J. Smith took charge of refurbishing the building, opting for a neo-Byzantine style of architecture, recognizable by its arcades and central dome. In 1897, the Tate opened its doors to the public, displaying 245 works in eight rooms by British artists from the Renaissance to the present day. The result is the most important collection of British art, spanning 500 years of creativity and featuring the work of the most famous artists, including William Hogarth, Thomas Gainsborough, Francis Bacon, William Blake, Frederic Leighton, John Constable, Antony Gormley, Henri Moore, David Hockney... In 1932, the gallery officially adopted the name Tate Gallery. These collections were later enriched by the National Collection of Modern Art, mixing ancient and modern art until the decision was taken to split the collections in two. Renamed "Tate Britain" in March 2000 to coincide with the launch of the Tate Modern, it is also known for its many Pre-Raphaelite paintings. It is also home to the largest collection of works by Joseph William Mallord Turner, Britain's best-known painter (over 300 oils, watercolors and drawings). Tate Britain also hosts excellent temporary exhibitions and organizes the Turner Prize, the prestigious and often controversial competition for modern art.