Watercolour Exhibition at Tate Britain

A fascinating watercolour exhibition at Tate Britain sets out to diespell the myths behind the easiest and cheapest form of painting, and reveal a rich history going back to the Middle Ages and forward to ground breaking contemporary art. Showcasing around 200 different works from various different schools of art, the exhibition takes a fresh look at watercolours from all angles.

Watercolour exhibition at Tate Britain
Although the golden age of watercolour paintng in Britain is generally perceived to be around 1750 - 1850, watercolours were used as far back as the Middle Ages and are evident in manuscripts, topographical illustrations and miniatures from that period onwards. As well as demonstrating that the use of watercolour is much older than most people think, the watercolour exhibition at Tate Britain also sets out to highlight the European painters who also used it, and who influenced British artists, rather than the other way around.

Cheap, portable and versatile
The main reason that watercolour has been used in such varying ways for so many years is that it is the most accessible of all painting styles. Cheap, portanle and quick to dry, much of the work on show in the Watercolour exhibition at Tate Britain demonstrates its use for recording eye witness events pre-photography, capturing flora and fauna on exploratory expeditions, and on the battlefield by war artists. From Captain Cook's artists and en plein air sketches done by Turner, and reportage drawings by Paul Nash and other war artists, watercolour is an extremely versatile medium.

Exhibition highlights
Despite having a rather traditional and safe reputation in the modern art world, many contemporary artists have used watercolour to overturn these assumptions. Andy Goldsworthy, Anish Kapoor and Tracey Emin all feature work in the Watercolour exhibition at Tate Britain, showing how the painting style has been used for more visionary purposes, in a similiar way to artists scuch as Blake, the Pre-Raphaelites and the Neo-Romantics. Making use of an extended list of different painterly techniques, artists such as Turner, A.W.Hunt and Arthur Melville from the 19th century, along with contemporary painters show just how varied a medium watercolour really is.

The Watercolour exhibition at Tate Britain takes place from 10am - 6pm 16th February - 21st August 2011. Tickets for this exhibition cost £12.70. Concessions are available.

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