This volume investigates the evolution and stylistic development of painting in Britain from the Middle Ages through the mid-twentieth century. Ellis Waterhouse, a renowned art historian and expert on British portraiture, utilizes his extensive knowledge of archival records and private collections to construct a comprehensive chronological framework. The text argues that British painting possesses a distinct trajectory shaped by both insular traditions and the periodic influx of continental influences.

This work is widely regarded as a foundational reference text for students and scholars of art history due to its rigorous scholarship and clear, authoritative prose. The depth of the research and the author's precise critical eye ensure that it remains a standard resource for understanding the development of the British aesthetic tradition.