The 100 Most Important Books for Understanding British Art, 1600–1850
As a cooperative initiative with Choice Magazine, the Historians of British Art (HBA) is working to assemble a list of the most important books for understanding British art produced between 1600 and 1850. The project, which will result in a bibliographic review essay for Choice, is particularly aimed at strengthening library holdings, and so nominations of studies broad in scope or significance are especially useful. In addition to studies of paintings, sculpture, and print culture, scholarship addressing country houses, gardens, decorative arts, patronage, and the history of exhibitions and collections for the period are welcome. Exhibition catalogues, historiographical studies, and works that situate British art within international contexts are also welcome. Books published within the past 10–20 years will anchor the final list, but nominations of titles from any period are eligible. Self-nominations are entirely appropriate. Don’t be shy. Nominate early and often!
Nominations may be submitted here—through the comments function—or emailed directly to HBA president, Craig Hanson, Top100BritishArtBooks@gmail.com. Nominations due by June 1.
Image: John Carter, View of the Library at Strawberry Hill, watercolour, 23.7 × 28.8 cm, from Horace Walpole, A Description of the Villa … at Strawberry-Hill (Strawberry Hill, 1784). The Lewis Walpole Library, Yale University.