From John Bettes's portrait A Man in a Black Cap, Tate's earliest picture, to the work of artists living in the present day, Tate's is a wide-ranging collection of paintings that spans five centuries.
Project Case Studies:
The last and greatest work by Edward Burne-Jones, The Sleep
of Arthur in Avalon returned to the UK from the Museo de Arte de Ponce, Puerto Rico for the first time in forty years in April 2008
The exhibition Pre-Raphaelite Vision: Truth to Nature at Tate Britain in 2004 provided an opportunity to revisit this painting...
Cruikshank's major work about the evils and horrors of alcohol has not been seen in public for nearly 100 years. Before its restoration, the painting was in a totally unexhibitable condition.
Paintings often appear little changed. However, critical changes in appearance can compromise their original aesthetic intention.
One of a series of small oil paintings on wood panel, depicting the beach at Rosas on the east coast of Spain. Recently, the work was in the conservation studio for a technical examination.
This painting was acquired by Tate in 1995 - nothing was known about the sitters or the history of the portrait.
Millais's Hearts are Trumps is currently on display in the Linbury galleries following major treatment of the painting and frame by Tate Conservation.
Ben Nicholson's large Festival of Britain Mural is only 50 years old. But when it was presented to Tate in 1995 there was no question of displaying it. Extensive damage had occurred.
An interview with conservator Rebecca Hellen about this complex conservation project.
Soon after Tate Modern opened, the Gallery Assistants Maintenance Group was established...
Removing discoloured varnishes and old, mismatched restoration from this large equestrian portrait.
This project's aim is the conservation of six paintings, three by Johan Zoffany and three by Sir Joshua Reynolds.
Projects elsewhere at Tate Online
A loose association of about fifteen artists in London in the years around 1910, the Camden Town Group was a distinctive and leading force in the development of modern British art.
Paints made over the last seventy years have been increasingly likely to contain synthetic binders and pigments. These synthetic paints are found in works by many modern artists.
