Picture preview: The Family in British Art

Throughout the history of British art, the experience of family life and its impact on who we are has provided rich inspiration for artists. From formal portraits of powerful families, long before the dawn of photography, to intimate glimpses into our home lives, an exhibition currently at Museums Sheffield shows how images inspired by those closest to us have always been some of our most revealing.

From the historical portraiture of Thomas Gainsborough to candid photographs of Richard Billingham, the changing portrayal of family in Britain over the centuries is explored in this new exhibition at the Millennium Gallery. The Family in British Art features paintings, photography, film and sculpture from artists including William Hogarth, Stanley Spencer, Tracey Emin and Rachel Whiteread, bringing together over 65 historic and contemporary works spanning over 400 years of British art.

Among the work on display is William Hogarth’s A House of Cards (1730), Sir Robert and Lady Buxton and their daughter Ann, (c1786) by Henry Walton, Stanley Spencer’s The Lovers (1934) and Vanessa Bell’s portrait of her sister, Virginia Woolf (1912). The exhibition will also include My Parents (1977) by David Hockney and A Jan Steen Kitchen (1995-6) by Jonathan Leaman.

Click here or on "View Gallery" for a picture preview

Until 29 April 2012, www.museums-sheffield.org.uk