Tate Britain, Millbank






Photos taken 28th Feb. 09.  Royal Albert Hall  Millais  Victorialand  Advertise  Art Store  Search Site


The Photos
F E B R U A R Y  0 9


An in-depth photo collection of my favourite London gallery, Tate Britain at Millbank, London, right by the River Thames.

I first came here years ago to see Frank Auerbach majestic J.Y.M. Seated No. 1 and once I had see it in the flesh (Auerbach is the one artist that reproductions in books and prints can't do justice to) I kept going back.

It is a wonderful building though I can't help feeling it is a little forgotten after all the fanfair and hype over the opening in 2000 of Tate Modern down the river. I for one prefer Tate Britain as the setting is far more atmospheric for the British paintings it now houses, especially the older ones from the Gods of painting that were the Pre-Raphaelites.

The shop is a bit pricey as in you need a lorry-load of cash to buy a book type-pricey. They do have some gorgeous stuff though.

It's history is thus:

    The building that is now Tate Britain was opened in 1897. Its site was by the River Thames on Millbank a slightly out of the way area of central London. The site had previously been occupied by a large prison. Its official title then was the National Gallery of British Art and as such it was the fulfilment of the dream of the collector and sugar magnate, Henry Tate, who paid for the building and endowed it with his own collection of British art. Almost immediately it became popularly known as the Tate Gallery, a title officially confirmed in 1932. This was necessary not least because in 1917 the Gallery had been given the additional responsibility of forming a national collection of international modern art, thus ceasing to be exclusively the National Gallery of British Art.

    Originally occupying only a small part of its site, the Gallery continually expanded to accommodate the growth of its twin collections. The final quarter of the site was filled in 1979 and the Gallery then took over the redundant military hospital across the street to the east, together with the street. This new space permitted the building of the Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection, opened in 1987, which finally provided proper housing for the Turner Bequest of 300 oil paintings and many thousands of watercolours by Britain's great Romantic artist, JMW Turner. Some of the hospital buildings were listed for preservation and became office accomodation, thus freeing up space in the original building.

    By about 1990 it had become clear to the Tate that its collection of British and international modern art had greatly outgrown the building, and indeed the possibilities of the whole site on Millbank. Even the creation of two regional Tate galleries, Tate Liverpool in 1988 and Tate St Ives in 1993 did not solve the problem. It was decided to create a new gallery in London and to display in it the international modern component of the Tate Collection. This became Tate Modern, which opened in the year 2000. The beauty of this scheme was that the building on Millbank could once again become the national gallery of British art, to be known as Tate Britain, thus reverting to Henry Tate's original dream and finally fulfilling it. In preparation for this a major rebuilding of the north-west quarter of the Gallery was undertaken, creating a new entrance and spaces for temporary exhibitions as well as new galleries for the display of the Collection. At the same time the Hyman Kreitman Research Centre was created to bring together and make accessible the Tate Library and Archive.

    Source for Tate History: Official Tate Website

Speaking of the Pre-Raphaelites, I have also photographed the Millais statue which has been unforgiveably tossed like some unwanted rubbish to the back of the Gallery in John Islip Street. Apparently, the Tate-meister, Nicholas Serota, ordered it to be removed to the back in 2000. You can view it here

Also photographed the Henry Moore statue, Locking Piece, which is by the river near the building. If you leave the Tate at Millank, cross the road, it is roughly halfway to Vauxhall Bridge. Locking Piece is an apt title as it seems to be two pieces locking. Hope that clarifies things in case you were wondering. Maybe I should apply for Andrew Graham-Dixon's presenting job on The Culture Show as I'm sure I could demystify art for the masses. The statue can be viewed here.

Hover over each thumbnail image for details on picture and click on each to open a bigger picture. Most of these photos are available as signed prints. Please e-mail for details. I'd be grateful if the photos are not used without prior permission. Please e-mail any request for usage or to obtain any photo without the copyright wording. Any commercial usage will incur a small fee.

- Paul Page (2009)


Manipulated
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Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Side of Tate Britain at the corner with Attersbury St., Millbank , London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Clore Gallery, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Side of Tate Britain, Millbank , London - Feb. 09 Side of Tate Britain, Millbank , London - Feb. 09 Roll Up, Roll Up, Look What We Have, Tate Britain, Millbank , London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain with Millbank Tower, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain towards Atterbury St., Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain with Millbank Tower, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain with Millbank Tower, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain from Atterbury Street side, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain from Atterbury Street side, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain from Atterbury Street side, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain from Atterbury Street side, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, towards Atterbury Street entrance, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Atterbury Street wall, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 The visitor's idiot guide to entering a building. A perplexed visitor rests half-way down, wondering if he's taken the right turning. Atterbury Street Entrance, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 World War II bomb damage still visible on the Atterbury Street wall, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 World War II bomb damage still visible on the Atterbury Street wall, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 A very young thug, I must say, being escorted from the premises. Atterbury Street entrance, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 World War II bomb damage still visible on the Atterbury Street wall, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Atterbury Street towards Millbank, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Atterbury Street towards Millbank, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Millais statue at the back of the Tate, John Islip Street, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Millais statue at the back of the Tate, John Islip Street, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Millais statue at the back of the Tate, John Islip Street, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Millais statue at the back of the Tate, John Islip Street, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Millais statue at the back of the Tate, John Islip Street, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Millais statue at the back of the Tate, John Islip Street, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Atterbury Street towards Millbank, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Atterbury Street from John Islip Street near Millais Sratue, towards Millbank, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain from the Albert Enbankment across the River Thames, London - Feb. 09 Locking Piece, Henry Moore, near Tate Britain, Millbank, Pimlico, London - Feb. 09 Locking Piece, Henry Moore, near Tate Britain, Millbank, Pimlico, London - Feb. 09 Locking Piece, Henry Moore, near Tate Britain, Millbank, Pimlico, London - Feb. 09 Locking Piece, Henry Moore, near Tate Britain, Millbank, Pimlico, London - Feb. 09 Locking Piece, Henry Moore, near Tate Britain, Millbank, Pimlico, London - Feb. 09 Locking Piece, Henry Moore, near Tate Britain, Millbank, Pimlico, London - Feb. 09 Side of Tate Britain at the corner with Attersbury St., Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Clore Gallery, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Side of Tate Britain, Millbank , London - Feb. 09 Side of Tate Britain, Millbank , London - Feb. 09 Roll Up, Roll Up, Look What We Have, Tate Britain, Millbank , London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain towards Atterbury St., Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain with Millbank Tower, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain with Millbank Tower, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain from Atterbury Street side, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain from Atterbury Street side, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, towards Atterbury Street entrance, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Atterbury Street wall, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 World War II bomb damage still visible on the Atterbury Street wall, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Millais statue at the back of the Tate, John Islip Street, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Millais statue at the back of the Tate, John Islip Street, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Atterbury Street towards Millbank, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain from the Albert Enbankment across the River Thames, London - Feb. 09 Locking Piece, Henry Moore, near Tate Britain, Millbank, Pimlico, London - Feb. 09 Locking Piece, Henry Moore, near Tate Britain, Millbank, Pimlico, London - Feb. 09



Untouched
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Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Side of Tate Britain at the corner with Attersbury St., Millbank , London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Clore Gallery, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Side of Tate Britain, Millbank , London - Feb. 09 Side of Tate Britain, Millbank , London - Feb. 09 Roll Up, Roll Up, Look What We Have, Tate Britain, Millbank , London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain with Millbank Tower, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain towards Atterbury St., Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain with Millbank Tower, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain with Millbank Tower, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain from Atterbury Street side, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain from Atterbury Street side, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain from Atterbury Street side, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain from Atterbury Street side, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain, towards Atterbury Street entrance, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Atterbury Street wall, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 The visitor's idiot guide to entering a building. A perplexed visitor rests half-way down, wondering if he's taken the right turning. Atterbury Street Entrance, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 World War II bomb damage still visible on the Atterbury Street wall, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 World War II bomb damage still visible on the Atterbury Street wall, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 A very young thug, I must say, being escorted from the premises. Atterbury Street entrance, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 World War II bomb damage still visible on the Atterbury Street wall, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Atterbury Street towards Millbank, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Atterbury Street towards Millbank, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Millais statue at the back of the Tate, John Islip Street, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Millais statue at the back of the Tate, John Islip Street, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Millais statue at the back of the Tate, John Islip Street, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Millais statue at the back of the Tate, John Islip Street, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Millais statue at the back of the Tate, John Islip Street, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Millais statue at the back of the Tate, John Islip Street, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Atterbury Street towards Millbank, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Atterbury Street from John Islip Street near Millais Sratue, towards Millbank, Tate Britain, Millbank, London - Feb. 09 Tate Britain from the Albert Enbankment across the River Thames, London - Feb. 09 Locking Piece, Henry Moore, near Tate Britain, Millbank, Pimlico, London - Feb. 09 Locking Piece, Henry Moore, near Tate Britain, Millbank, Pimlico, London - Feb. 09 Locking Piece, Henry Moore, near Tate Britain, Millbank, Pimlico, London - Feb. 09 Locking Piece, Henry Moore, near Tate Britain, Millbank, Pimlico, London - Feb. 09 Locking Piece, Henry Moore, near Tate Britain, Millbank, Pimlico, London - Feb. 09 Locking Piece, Henry Moore, near Tate Britain, Millbank, Pimlico, London - Feb. 09 Side of Tate Britain at the corner with Attersbury St., Millbank, London - Feb. 09




Recommended Reading
T A T E  B R I T A I N



  • Tate Britain: The Guide


  • Tate Britain Companion to British Art | Antique & Art Store | Advertise Here
  • John Everett Millais | Henry Moore



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