Books by Matthew Hargraves

"The artist should not only paint what he sees before him," claimed Caspar David Friedrich, "but also what he sees in himself." He should have "a dialogue with Nature". Friedrich's words encapsulate two central elements of the Romantic conception of landscape -- close observation of the natural world and the importance of the imagination.

Examines the Society of Artists of Great Britain from its origins to its demise in 1791. This book looks at the politics and personalities behind the public exhibitions to uncover the profound impact on the history of British art. It analyses the motivations behind the exhibitions and explores the competing interests that shaped their development.