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A woman seen through a mirror looking around a domestic room with modern British art on the walls

Our art

Discover new perspectives on British art from 1900 to now

Using our collection and exhibitions, we tell the story of Modern British art

Since the late 19th century, Western society has changed dramatically. The development of our modern cities, technologies, not to mention the devastation of two world wars has transformed every aspect of our lives – including art.

From Post-Impressionism to Cubism, Neo-Romanticism to Pop and Neo-classicism to contemporary art, our collections and exhibitions tell the story of Britain through the eyes of some of the most important British artists, including Keith Vaughan, Edward Burra, Graham Sutherland and Barbara Hepworth.

Second only to the Tate for Modern British art.

The Guardian

A large wooden sculpture pierced with two holes stands above a stairwell painted with a brightly coloured geometric mural by Lothar Götz

Contemporary stairwell with Lothar Götz mural Photograph © Christopher Ison / Pallant House Gallery

Interior of a Georgian townhouse showing two open doors on the left and right side of the frame leading to rooms filled with Modern British art
Young Woman with sketchbook in the Gallery

Highlights from the collection

Painting by Ben Nicholson depicting coloured shapes based on abstract still life of bottles & glasses against a grey background.
A female nude sitting in a dingy bedroom with her legs crossed and resting her chin on her hand facing away from the viewer.
A painting by Patrick Caulfield depciting a dour faced man wearing a blue suit against a yellow background
Abstract painting by Prunella Clough depicting a grey background with narrow streakes of green running horizontally across. In the upper left is a circle of green next to a circle of white on a grey rectangle.
Abstract orange crescent on base. Thorn like objects on all surfaces.
Self portrait by Lucian Freud showing his head and shoulders three-quarter turned to the right. To the right on the corner of a table is a pot of hyacinth flowers against a yellow background.
A soft sculpture of a cowboy dressed entirely in white, wearing a hat and sunglasses, slouched against a wall with his hands in his pocket.
Torso of a man wearing Y-fronts and holding an arm strengthening instrument.
A painting by Christopher Wood depicting a brown and white spotted dog sitting in a red chair next to a china spaniel. An open window looks out on to a fishing boat and lighthouse out at sea
Sculpture depicting a baby suckling at an abstracted form of its mother
Painting by Michael Andrews depicting a large sweeping view of the Thames estuary, lot of browns, figures with a rowing boat centre left.

Discover Modern British art as seen through our collection

A painting by Walter Sickert depicting a dimly-lit street. The windows of one shopfront reveal a dark red interior.

The early 20th century

In the years between 1900 and 1920 British art underwent a transformation instigated by intense social change.

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A painting by Paul Nash depicting a wood standing atop gently rolling hills under a grey sky

The British landscape

Following the horrors of the First World War many British artists to seek solace in familiar landscapes.

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Sculpture depicting a baby suckling at an abstracted form of its mother

Thirties modernism

Throughout the 1930s the British art world evolved to become more progressive and outward looking.

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Painting by Graham Sutherland depicting ruined buildings with a slight abstract appearance in sombre greens, greys and black.

War and romanticism

During the Second World War there was a resurgence of romanticism in British art and literature.

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Abstract orange crescent on base. Thorn like objects on all surfaces.

Church Patronage in Post-War Britain

A series of inspired commissions brought modern art into the heart of the church.

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Painting by Ben Nicholson depicting coloured shapes based on abstract still life of bottles & glasses against a grey background.

Post-war abstraction

During the 1940s and 1950s the creation of abstract art in Britain centred on a thriving community of artists in St. Ives.

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Pop style arwork of a close up of Brigitte Bardot's face in black and white with a dusky pink 'O' encircling her face

British Pop art

Pop Art is often seen as a movement that began in the USA but it was a phenomenon that
developed almost simultaneously in both countries.

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A close up of dozens of mussel shells stuffed with red velvet.

Contemporary

The art of the present day forms an integral aspect of the experience of visiting Pallant House Gallery.

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An interior view of a period house looking through a doorway into a room hung with modern art.

Discover our collection of collections

Explore our world class collection of Modern British and contemporary art, largely formed of donations by passionate collectors over 35 years.

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Two women gaze at a row of brightly coloured framed prints on a wall to the right of the image

Explore our exhibition archive

Gain new perspectives on your favourite artists and discover previously overlooked artists with our past exhibitions.

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Photograph showing a woman with long dark hair looking at a drawing of a nude woman combing her hair by Degas

Find out about our latest acquisitions

Meet the newest additions to our ever growing collection of Modern British art.

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A woman sits in front a drawing by Degas. The areas she has cleaned can be seen as she works on the final part.

Adopt an Artwork

Protecting our collection from the ravages of time is one of our biggest challenges. You can help us look after some of our most vulnerable pieces with Adopt an Artwork and receive a number of amazing benefits, including the chance to see your chosen artwork up close.

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Have an idea for an exhibition?

We welcome exhibition proposals relating to our collection of Modern British art and our mission to share and stimulate new thinking on British art from 1900 to now. See our exhibition proposal policy for more details.

A restaurant with Robin Day designed wooden chairs and red banquettes with glass panelled doors looking out onto a paved courtyard.

Eat and drink
Photograph shopwing the interior of a bookshop with white shelves packed full of art books. A man in the background reaches for a book on a shelf.

Shop
A large gallery space with wooden flooring and white walls and pop art on the walls.

Hire