Pallant House Gallery

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

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

40 Years in 40 Artworks

To celebrate our 40th anniversary in 2022, we have selected 40 highlights from our collection for you to explore online. Find out about some of the painters, movements and mediums that make up our collection and tell the story of modern British art from 1900 to now.

Keep checking back as we add more works to this online exhibition.

A garden path flanked with roses and trees.

Painting by Ivon Hitchens depictinmg a barn in the middle of the woods with a curved roof

Group of men bathing by a lake by Duncan Grant

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

Painting of interior of a church with large round rose window at centre

Man climbing staircase reaching out hand to woman below him on red and green walled background

White dog with red spots on chair with boat and lighthouse in background

Collage of different shapes in different colours by Ben Nicholson

Tear shaped black marble sculpture with round hole through centre in gallery space

A painting by Ivon Hitchens showing abstract shapes of various colours, mostly blue tones around the edges, with yellows reds and browns towards the centre

Oil painting of estuary in brown and blues and greens

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.

Naked woman sat on bed looking away to left

Blue toned painting of a young man with dark curly hair completely absorbed in looking at his reflection in an unseen pool at the bottom of the painting.

Man to left looking out next to flower in a pot on right

Helmet and shoulders sculpture in bronze by Henry Moore

Boy staring out in red shirt, yellow tie and blazer

Black and White collage made of paper cut out victorian engravings. A river sits next to a tropical, mountainous landscape with a vicotrian lady rising out from the top.

Man in blue suit on yellow background surrounded by zigzag shapes

Reclining figure in studio, Frank Auerbach

Soft sculpture in white depicting a cowboy with hat and sunglasses leaning against a wall

Head and shoulders of person with candelabra on head

Photograph of two men with their hands cuffed together, shielding their faces from the viewer. The photograph is encased in a metal frame made to look like the door of a car.

Painting by Howard Hodgkin depicting geometric abstract, solid black outlines on inside edges. pink arc shapes top left & top right. red spots on yellow ground at centre; green dots on red around outside edge.

Man on left staring out wearing blue jacket and woman on right in black and white t-shirt facing right wall

Woman staring out wearing a jewelled headband and a golden shawl over a black top

Rock in fireplace and line of rocks with white line on them in the foreground

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

Blue background with multiple butterflies in different colours and sizes

Person looking back left over should in blue top on yellow and blue background

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.

Find out more

The British landscape

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

Find out more

Henry-Moore-Suckling-Child_1600x1000_acf_cropped

Thirties modernism

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

Find out more

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.

Find out more

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.

Find out more

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.

Find out more

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.

Find out more

Contemporary

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

Find out more

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.

Find out more

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.

Find out more

Close up of books on shelves in a library

Discover the treasures in our Library and Archive

Are you conducting research into modern British art? Check out our vast collection of books and archival material related to the artworks in our collection.