The Family in British Art charts the depiction of the family over 400 years of British Art. What is a family and what is the idea of family? How have notions of the family changed over time?

The Family in British Art explores the ways artists have formulated and explored these questions. It looks at how artists have shown the importance of the family in private and public life, and asks what role ideas of family have played in shaping our national and cultural identity. The family is at the heart of complex human relationships and encounters, so we should not be surprised to find representations of family that are full of argument, contradiction and paradox.

Previous explorations of the family in British art have focused on particular social and economic issues, or art historical periods. By contrast The Family in British Art brings together representations of the family across different periods and media to examine the changing nature of the family and its representations over time. By placing historical and contemporary works side by side, The Family in British Art traces how artists have explored notions of family for personal or political purposes.

More information can be found at the Museums Sheffield Website.