British Paintings 1550-1850

S otheby’s British Paintings Department specializes in works created between 1550 and 1850, offering exceptional paintings that span three centuries of artistic achievement, from early Tudor portraiture to the art of the early 19th century. Strong demand for the finest 16th‑ and 17th‑century portraits continues to drive record prices for Tudor works and for leading artists such as Sir Anthony van Dyck. The department also regularly presents important paintings from the 18th century, the celebrated “golden age of British painting,” with masterpieces by Gainsborough, Reynolds, Romney, Wright of Derby, and Zoffany. Our sales include exceptional landscapes, from early depictions by visiting artists such as Siberechts to major works by Constable and Turner, as well as marine paintings from the era of van de Velde through to early 19th‑century painters such as Salmon and Luny. Sotheby’s also leads the market for British sporting art, handling top-quality works by Wootton, Seymour, Stubbs, Marshall, Agasse, and other masters of the genre.

Based in London, our team has unparalleled experience and longstanding relationships with collectors, institutions, and new buyers entering the field. Sotheby’s holds the auction record for the most expensive British painting ever sold—Turner’s Modern Rome—and has achieved record prices for numerous artists represented in this category. Over the past fifteen years, the department has sold 25 early British paintings for more than £1 million each, underscoring both market strength and the department’s trusted leadership.

British paintings from this period are now featured prominently within Sotheby’s major Old Master sales in London in July and December and in New York in January and June, providing exceptional global exposure. In addition to these marquee auctions, the department organizes regular single‑owner sales and discreet private sales, offering collectors multiple pathways to buy and sell important works from Britain’s artistic heritage.