The New British Galleries

By Wolf Burchard, Max Bryant, and Elizabeth St. George

Celebrating the reopening of the British Galleries, this Bulletin documents years of renovation and rethinking that formed these majestic spaces, which represent more than four hundred years of British decorative arts from the sixteenth through the nineteenth century. Featuring artwork in an extraordinary range of styles and materials, this publication and the redesigned galleries it documents highlight a panoply of Britain's artistic and economic aspirations. The texts place these works—from masterpieces commissioned by rulers Elizabeth I and George III to luxury goods imported from abroad, including small boxes, scent bottles, and miniature vanity cases—in a uniquely British context while also acknowledging and addressing their global significance. Stunning photography captures highlights from the more than seven hundred works of art in the collection as well as installation views, both past and present.

Wolf Burchard is Associate Curator and Max Bryant is Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow, both in the Department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Elizabeth St. George is Assistant Curator at the Brooklyn Museum of Art.