Contemporary Period

National decline began to set in around 1900, and English artists have spent the 20th century in a well-meaning attempt to catch up with international developments. They have adopted one by one the "isms" of the modem movement, beginning with Impressionism, but always a few years behind and always in a diluted form. Among modern artists, however, the two dominant characteristics of English art — the romantic tradition and the emphasis on line — may be seen in the sculpture of Henry Moore and the painting of Francis Bacon, David Hockney, and Graham Sutherland. Coventry Cathedral by Sir Basil Spence was disliked by many critics but has found favour with the public. Of the work of contemporary British architects, that of James Frazer Stirling has perhaps been the most influential.