We are alarmingly close to the end of 2018, meaning it’s the perfect time to look back at the year’s highlights.

2018 had its ups and downs. At the beginning of the year we were all looking up at the lunar eclipse, by spring we were looking intently at the royal wedding, and by summer, England football fans were looking downwards after a defeat by Croatia in the World Cup semi-final. (Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish fans may have been more ebullient at this point!)

In the time-honoured tradition of creating pleasant distractions from an uncertain political climate, here are some beautiful works of art to set your eyes on, all of which joined Art UK this year.

January

The Apotheosis of Italian Art

The Apotheosis of Italian Art 1885–1886

Walter Crane (1845–1915)

Manchester Art Gallery

Housed in Manchester Art Gallery is Walter Crane's The Apotheosis of Italian Art. The large-scale watercolour depicts Michelangelo, Dante, Cimabue, Pope Julius II and Raphael among others. They stand between richly adorned arches, each representing an Italian city – Venice, Florence and Rome.

February

A Wet Night, May 1883

A Wet Night, May 1883 1883

Patrick Downie (1854–1945)

McLean Museum and Art Gallery – Inverclyde Council

A Summer Breeze, Firth of Clyde

A Summer Breeze, Firth of Clyde 1938

Patrick Downie (1854–1945)

McLean Museum and Art Gallery – Inverclyde Council

In February, many of us were trying to survive the ‘Beast from the East’, the unexpected blizzard that hit the UK and turned the country into a hellish snowstorm. Meanwhile, Art UK had works added by the McLean Museum and Art Gallery, such as these two splendid works by the Scottish painter Patrick Downie (1854–1945).

March

Lady Susan Bertie, Countess of Kent

Lady Susan Bertie, Countess of Kent

Master of the Countess of Warwick (active 1567–1569)

Canterbury Museums and Galleries

In March, the weather warmed up slightly. But then, alas, the blizzard returned. This time it was coined the ‘Mini Beast from the East'. The Beaney in Canterbury added works to Art UK, such as this fine portrait of Lady Susan Bertie, Countess of Kent.

April

Coming from the Mill

Coming from the Mill 1917

Laurence Stephen Lowry (1887–1976)

The Lowry Collection, Salford

Going to Work

Going to Work 1959

Laurence Stephen Lowry (1887–1976)

The Lowry Collection, Salford

By Christ Church, Salford

By Christ Church, Salford 1926

Laurence Stephen Lowry (1887–1976)

The Lowry Collection, Salford

Group of People

Group of People (verso) 1959

Laurence Stephen Lowry (1887–1976)

The Lowry Collection, Salford

In March and April, we received a plethora of works by Lowry (1887–1976) from The L. S. Lowry Collection. Among the new works added were these intriguing depictions of industrial Salford and Manchester between the 1930s and 1950s.

May

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Chiswick 2010

Martin Leman (b.1934)

Royal Watercolour Society

Mirage III

Mirage III late 1980s–early 1990s

Stephen Collingbourne (b.1943)

Museums & Galleries Edinburgh – City of Edinburgh Council

We are currently unable to display this image due to copyright restrictions

La nature morte c.1948

William Patrick Roberts (1895–1980)

Swindon Museum and Art Gallery

In May, NASA launched the space probe InSight, which landed safely on Mars in November. However, most people were probably discussing Meghan Markle’s wedding dress. Art UK received a lovely selection of works from The Royal Watercolour Society, as well as new paintings from the City of Edinburgh Council and Swindon Art Gallery.

June

In June, the weather improved. But Art UK received lots of wonderful, wintry watercolours and works on paper, including this trio from Swindon Art Gallery.

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Trees on Ellerside Moss 1940s

Claude Muncaster (1903–1974)

Swindon Museum and Art Gallery

We are currently unable to display this image due to copyright restrictions

Pistyll Maes-Glasau 1940

John Piper (1903–1992)

Swindon Museum and Art Gallery

We are currently unable to display this image due to copyright restrictions

Trees Overhanging River 1926

Percy Hague Jowett (1882–1955)

Swindon Museum and Art Gallery

July

In contrast to the beginning of the year, July witnessed a huge heatwave across North America and Europe, as well as a new-found obsession for Frosé (or is that just us?). Plus an even longer total lunar eclipse took place. Let’s skim over the details. More art!

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Looking up the River... Dagenham 1957

David Hall

Valence House Museum

Greenock

Greenock 1910

William Lionel Wyllie (1851–1931)

Scottish Maritime Museum

Leaving Roan

Leaving Roan 2000

Frances Walker (b.1930)

Scottish Maritime Museum

Review of the Grand Fleet in the Firth of Forth after the Armistice

Review of the Grand Fleet in the Firth of Forth after the Armistice 1920

William Lionel Wyllie (1851–1931)

Scottish Maritime Museum

Art UK received a selection of works from Valence House Museum and the Scottish Maritime Museum.

August

Apple Inc. became the first $1 trillion company and Art UK added this work by Lowry.

The Lodging House

The Lodging House 1921

Laurence Stephen Lowry (1887–1976)

The Lowry Collection, Salford

September

The majority of the population was still in denial that summer was officially over, but these intricately painted still lifes by Adriaen Coorte and Juan de Zurbarán from The National Gallery’s collection joined Art UK.

Still Life with Strawberries, Gooseberries and Asparagus

Still Life with Strawberries, Gooseberries and Asparagus 1703

Adriaen Coorte (c.1660–after 1707)

The National Gallery, London

Still Life with Lemons in a Wicker Basket

Still Life with Lemons in a Wicker Basket c.1643–1649

Juan de Zurbarán (1620–1649)

The National Gallery, London

October

October came around alarmingly fast and suddenly Christmas decorations were starting to pop up everywhere. We barely had time to mourn summer before the winter blues kicked in and we reluctantly stopped drinking rosé (again – just me?). Meanwhile, we added this exquisite portrait of a young Henry VIII to our website – clearly painted some time before he ate all the pheasant pies.

We are currently unable to display this image due to copyright restrictions

Henry VIII (1491–1547) c.1527–1550

Anglo/Flemish School

Government Art Collection

We also received a vast number of intriguing (and sometimes frightening) images from the Wellcome Collection, some of which feature in our story The nation’s scariest art, part 2: dare you explore the Wellcome Collection?

Here are some highlights.

A High-Ranking Official and His Wife

A High-Ranking Official and His Wife c.1850

unknown artist

Wellcome Collection

A Woman Acrobat with Her Belongings

A Woman Acrobat with Her Belongings 19th C (?)

unknown artist

Wellcome Collection

On a slightly different note, we also added a lithograph by Leslie Cole from Swindon Art Gallery, which featured in a story about a defrocked vicar who was eaten by a lion (no, really!). You'll have to read it to understand...

November

In November, we commemorated the centenary of the end of the First World War by looking at a number of lithographs made as British propaganda, added from the collection of Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales.

The End of War

The End of War

William Nicholson (1872–1949) and Arthur William Turner (1856–1919) (by or after)

Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales

The Freedom of the Seas

The Freedom of the Seas

Frank Brangwyn (1867–1956) and Arthur William Turner (1856–1919) (by or after)

Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales

The Rebirth of the Arts

The Rebirth of the Arts

Charles Haslewood Shannon (1863–1937) and Arthur William Turner (1856–1919) (by or after)

Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales

You can explore them in greater detail in this story.

December

Study of a Pall-Bearer for ‘Dante's Dream’

Study of a Pall-Bearer for ‘Dante's Dream’ 1874

Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828–1882)

The Whitworth, The University of Manchester

Perhaps saving the best till last (or perhaps not, depending on your opinion!), we concluded the year with works on paper featured in the exhibition 'Lowry and the Pre-Raphaelites' (which you can read about in more detail) and Turner Prize winner Lubaina Himid's exquisite portrait The Tailor from Manchester Art Gallery.

The Tailor

The Tailor 2010

Lubaina Himid (b.1954)

Manchester Art Gallery

Looking forward to 2019, remember that Art UK is launching its Sculpture Project after Christmas. We will be cataloguing the UK’s national sculpture collection – the first of around 170,000 works from across the nation will start to appear on our website from January 2019. Watch this space!

Lydia Figes, Content Creator at Art UK