The aim of the exhibition was to form a survey of British painting from Whistler to the present day.
The collection was first exhibited at important centres in New Zealand: at Dunedin, Christchurch, Auckland and Wanganui. It was then transferred to Australia, and was shown in Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne. At the last named place it was visited by over one hundred thousand people in four weeks. Everywhere it was received with enthusiasm.
The exhibition included works by John Nash, Paul Nash, John Sargent, WR Sickert, Henry Tonks, J McNeill Whistler, Sir William Orpen, Augustus John.
