More than 300 paintings by British artists born before 1770 are featured in this catalogue raisonne. This is the first time that they have been addressed as a full group by period, and their strengths - and weaknesses - carefully examined. Artists featured include Fuseli, Gainsborough, Hilliard, Hogarth, Hoppner, Kneller, Raeburn, Reynolds, Romney, Stubbs and Joseph Wright. The Walker Art Gallery and Sudley House together house some of the best publicly owned art in the UK, with the works featured in this catalogue forming one of the most significant parts of these renowned collections. Drawing on his intimate knowledge of the paintings, Kidson provides a comprehensive overview of this important collection, weaving an eloquent path through the history of collecting and taste.