British art has a long history within the United Kingdom. In many ways, British art has been the leading influence in art innovations around the world. Thanks to this unique and long-standing culture many master artists have achieved their full creative potential and contemporary artists have been able to explore new ways of thinking in their work. It's also been one of the most dramatically evolving styles in the art world.
Traditional British art depicts many aspects of British culture, including hunting, horse riding, past monarchs, and social issues that the British faced throughout their history. One traditional artist in particular that excelled at displaying the favorite traditional pastimes of the British elite was Henry Alken, whose depictions of hunts and the English countryside are classic examples of traditionally British artwork. Most art in this category is representational in nature, with very little stylization.
Surprisingly, as British culture has entered the new millennium it has done a complete turnaround from the traditional depictions typical of this category. Contemporary British art has had strong pop art influences and has embraced collage and graphic design styles. The designs feature a variety of subjects, with colors that are generally reminiscent of the British flag, although other colors schemes are also available. Cut-out patterns are also highly popular in contemporary British artwork and are frequently used in tandem with pop art designs. Popular subjects still include monarchs however British art has also embraced and integrated symbols such as crowns, national monuments, and street signs.
British art is used widely in home decorating and accommodates many different personal styles. The traditional type of British art is perfect for more formal decor while contemporary art is uniquely suitable for retro, modern, and chic home decorative styles. British art is a popular choice both in, and outside of, the United Kingdom. With the versatility available in British art, it's suitable for nearly any room of the house and can serve as the main centerpiece of a room's design or as a complement to existing decor.
