Banksy beats art heavyweights in Britain's favourite work

Graffiti artist Banksy has beaten the likes of Turner and Constable in a poll of the nation's favourite artwork.

His famous 2002 daubing on the wall of a Shoreditch shop, Balloon Girl, came top of a list of British art preferred by 2,000 people who were given a shortlist drawn up by arts editors and writers to choose from.

Banksy's Balloon Girlplaceholder image
Banksy's Balloon Girl

Second place went to John Constable's 1821 Romantic landscape The Hay Wain while third spot was taken by Jack Vettriano's 1992 painting The Singing Butler.

JMW Turner's 1839 work The Fighting Temeraire, also from the Romantic era, and Antony Gormley's 1998 sculpture The Angel Of The North completed the top five of a total of 20 beloved artworks.

Antony Gormley's 1998 sculpture the Angel of the Northplaceholder image
Antony Gormley's 1998 sculpture the Angel of the North

The poll was carried out to mark the launch of a new Samsung TV, The Frame, which carries more than 100 pre-loaded artworks for users to choose from, making it into a piece of art when not being used as a television.

The full list of the nation's favourite works by British artists according to The Frame National Art Audit is as follows:

1. Banksy; Balloon Girl

2. John Constable; The Hay Wain

Jack Vettriano's 1992 painting The Singing Butlerplaceholder image
Jack Vettriano's 1992 painting The Singing Butler

3. Jack Vettriano; The Singing Butler

4. JMW Turner; The Fighting Temeraire

5. Antony Gormley; The Angel of the North

6. L S Lowry; Going to the Match

John Constable's 1821 painting The Hay Wainplaceholder image
John Constable's 1821 painting The Hay Wain

7. John William Waterhouse; The Lady of Shalott

8. Peter Blake; Sgt Pepper album cover

9. Hipgnosis and George Hardie; Dark Side of the Moon album cover

10. George Stubbs; Mares and Foals

JMW Turner's 1839 work The Fighting Temeraireplaceholder image
JMW Turner's 1839 work The Fighting Temeraire

11. Thomas Gainsborough; Mr and Mrs Andrews

12. John Everett Millais; Ophelia

13. Andy Goldsworthy; Balanced Rock Misty

14. David Hockney; A Bigger Splash

15. Bridget Riley; Movement in Squares

16. Anish Kapoor; ArcelorMittal Orbit

Antony Gormley's 1998 sculpture the Angel of the Northplaceholder image
Antony Gormley's 1998 sculpture the Angel of the North

17. Stik; A Couple Hold Hands in the Street

18. Maggi Hambling; Scallop

19. Henry Moore; Reclining Figure

20. Jamie Reid; Never Mind the Bollocks album cover

Related topics:
News you can trust since 1877
Follow us
© 2026 Iconic Media Group Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice