Artists & Artisans
Turner, J.M.W.
Joseph Mallord William (J.M.W.) Turner, renowned as the ‘painter of light,’ forged an enduring legacy in the art world that began at age 17 until the time of his death. Turner spearheaded a revolutionary approach to capturing luminosity and atmosphere in landscapes, one that traced the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution in Britain. Exhibited in virtually every major art museum in the world, Turner’s profound influence not only transformed the status of landscape painting but also laid the groundwork for the introduction of Impressionism.
| Self-Portrait by J.M.W. Turner. 1799. Tate Britain. |
Turner’s Early Years: The Birth of a Prodigy
J.M.W. Turner was born circa April 23, 1775, in Covent Garden, London, England. His father, William Turner, was a wig-maker and barber, and his mother, Mary Turner (née Marshall), came from a family of successful butchers. Growing up, Turner’s father supported the family through Turner’s mother’s struggles with mental illness, which ultimately resulted in her relocation to mental asylums in 1785. The same year, Turner was sent to stay with his uncle in Brentford and soon began attending school at Margate, Kent, in 1786. By the age of 13, Turner began drawing sketches, which his father encouraged, going so far as to exhibit and sell, for a few shillings, his son’s works at his barber shop. His father even boasted to the artist Thomas Stothard, “My son, sir, is going to be a painter.”
At age 14, Turner was accepted into the Royal Academy of Art after years of studying under a topographical draughtsman, during which practiced architectural studies and exercises. This early experience augmented his formal artistic studies, in which he mainly drew from casts of ancient sculptures. One year later, in 1790, Turner’s first watercolor, A View of the Archbishop’s Palace, was displayed in the Royal Academy’s Exhibition, a spectacular achievement for such a young, aspiring artist. His early years studying and exhibiting at the Royal Academy were marked by a voracious appetite for learning and experimentation, laying the foundation for his future artistic endeavors.
| A View of the Archbishop’s Palace, Lambeth by Turner. 1790. Indianapolis Museum of Art. |
The European Adventures
In 1793, the Royal Society of Arts awarded the 17-year-old Turner the prestigious 'Great Silver Pallet. This award, and the growing market for landscape and topographical watercolors, bolstered his selling abilities and provided his first real artistic income. From the mid-1790s onward, Turner established a landscape routine that he would follow for the rest of his life: tour and sketch en plein air in the summers, then work on the final products in the studio during the winter. In the beginning, Turner toured only around the United Kingdom due to the post-revolutionary wars across Europe. Also during this time, Turner exhibited his first oil painting in 1796, Fisherman at Sea. The mastery of his works across different media led to his election as an associate member of the Royal Academy, a coveted position he achieved at 24.
| The Schöllenen Gorge from the Devil’s Bridge, Pass of St Gotthard by Turner. 1802. Tate Britain. |
In 1802, during the Peace of Amiens amidst the Napoleonic Wars, a group of noblemen sponsored Turner’s visit to Paris, where he studied the Old Masters at the Louvre and toured the Swiss Alps. His first journey abroad led to a thirst for exploration of novel landscapes and atmospheric conditions. Turner fell in love with the daring landscapes of Switzerland and the Alps, where few artists had painted extensively. His early travels exposed him to nature’s grandeur, where his sense of awe would translate to his canvases with ground-breaking realism. Returning six more times between 1802 and 1844, Turner experimented heavily on his trips to Switzerland.
At age 44, Turner traveled to Venice for the first time in 1819. His works from this period are considered some of his most magical and luminous. His paintings of Venice depict the city’s iconic canals, architecture, and luminous skies with ethereal beauty and a light brushstroke. Works such as Venice, from the Porch of Madonna della Salute (1835), offer a breathtaking panoramic view of the bustling city, where his technical mastery of landscapes is combined with his effervescent brushstroke technique. One young gentleman who recounted a short train ride with Turner through Italy in 1829 wrote, “He is continually popping his head out of the window to sketch whatever strikes his fancy, and became quite angry with the conductor when he would not wait for him whilst he took a sunrise view of Macerata...”
| Venice, from the Porch of Madonna della Salute by Turner. 1835. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. |
Turner’s Golden Era of Artistry
By the early 19th century, Turner had achieved celebrity status with his artistic prowess. In 1807, Turner accepted a position as Professor of Perspective at the Royal Academy, which he held until 1838. One of the hallmarks of his Golden Era of paintings is his innovative use of paint application. He employed a variety of brushstrokes, from thick impasto to delicate glazes, to create texture and depth in his compositions. Turner's Golden Era paintings encompassed various subjects, from majestic seascapes and tranquil riverscapes to dramatic historical scenes and atmospheric landscapes. His depictions of nature often evoked a sense of awe and wonder, inviting viewers to contemplate the sublime beauty of the natural world.
The popularity of Turner's paintings soared during this period, as his works captivated audiences with their emotional intensity and visual splendor. Exhibiting every year at the Royal Academy, his exhibitions drew large crowds and his paintings commanded high prices from collectors and patrons alike. Turner's influence extended beyond the art world, inspiring writers, poets and composers to explore themes of nature, beauty, and the sublime in their own works. For example, Claude Debussy drew inspiration from Turner's evocative sea paintings for his symphony La Mer.
| Dido Building Carthage, or the Rise of the Carthaginian Empire by Turner. 1815. The National Gallery, London. |
| The Decline of the Carthaginian Empire by Turner. 1817. Tate Britain. |
Beginning in the mid-1800s, Turner started to comment on contemporary events through his artwork. In 1815 and 1817, Turner painted two canvases that work together to tell a broader story: The Rise of the Carthaginian Empire and The Decline of the Carthaginian Empire. Exhibited two years after the fall of the Napoleonic empire, the luminous harbor scenes draw parallels between warring Rome and Carthage to the battles between England and France at the time. Like the sun that sets over North Africa in The Decline, Turner comments on Napoleon’s ultimate defeat at the hands of the British.
Breaking Boundaries: A Radical Evolution
| Slave Ship (Slavers Throwing Overboard the Deceased and Dying) by Turner. 1840. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. |
Turner's later years were characterized by a willingness to break free from the constraints of traditional artistic norms and push the boundaries of expression. One of the ways Turner broke these boundaries was through his bold use of color and form. He moved away from the precise detail and naturalistic rendering that had characterized much of his earlier work, opting instead for looser, more expressive brushwork and vibrant, non-traditional color palettes. Turner also challenged artistic conventions through his unconventional compositions and subject matter. He was drawn to scenes of elemental forces and natural phenomena, such as storms at sea, raging fires, and erupting volcanoes. In the monumental maritime landscape Slave Ship (Slavers Throwing Overboard the Deceased and Dying) from 1840, Turner bases the scene on the true story of the Zong, a British ship whose captain in 1781 threw overboard sick and dying enslaved people to cash in on their insurance. The horror of the event, captured in the hot, churning colors and torrid seascape, was the artist’s critique of the enduring use of slavery in America. These dramatic and often chaotic scenes departed from the serene landscapes and historical narratives that had been more typical in Western art.
| Storm Clouds, Perhaps Above a Beach by Turner. c. 1840-1845. Tate Britain. |
In addition to his radical approach to subject matter and technique, Turner experimented with the concept of representation itself. His later works bordered on abstraction, with forms dissolving into shimmering light and color. His ongoing study of clouds throughout the latter part of his career showcased Turner’s continued experimentation with watercolor and the depiction of atmospheric effects. Turner's willingness to embrace ambiguity in his art challenged traditional notions of realism and representation, paving the way for the emergence of modernist movements such as Impressionism and abstraction in the years to come.
Eternal Luminescence: Turner’s Lasting Impact
J.M.W. Turner died on December 9, 1851, in Chelsea, London. Though he never married, remaining dedicated to caring for his father until he died in 1829, he did father two daughters, Eveline and Georgiana. Their mother is assumed to be Hannah Danby, Turner’s housekeeper, though Turner remained secretive about his personal life until his death. At the time of his death, Turner’s will stipulated that the remaining works in his possession be bequeathed to the British nation. Overall, Turner donated nearly 300 oil paintings and about 30,000 sketches and watercolors, including 300 sketchbooks. Despite resistance from critics and the art establishment throughout his career, Turner's boundary-breaking innovations ultimately earned him widespread acclaim, solidifying his reputation as a pioneering figure in the history of art. His willingness to challenge the status quo and explore new artistic frontiers continues to inspire artists today, reminding us of the transformative power of creative experimentation and the enduring relevance of Turner's visionary legacy.Artists & Artisans
Turner, J.M.W.
Joseph Mallord William (J.M.W.) Turner, renowned as the ‘painter of light,’ forged an enduring legacy in the art world that began at age 17 until the time of his death. Turner spearheaded a revolutionary approach to capturing luminosity and atmosphere in landscapes, one that traced the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution in Britain. Exhibited in virtually every major art museum in the world, Turner’s profound influence not only transformed the status of landscape painting but also laid the groundwork for the introduction of Impressionism.
| Self-Portrait by J.M.W. Turner. 1799. Tate Britain. |
Turner’s Early Years: The Birth of a Prodigy
J.M.W. Turner was born circa April 23, 1775, in Covent Garden, London, England. His father, William Turner, was a wig-maker and barber, and his mother, Mary Turner (née Marshall), came from a family of successful butchers. Growing up, Turner’s father supported the family through Turner’s mother’s struggles with mental illness, which ultimately resulted in her relocation to mental asylums in 1785. The same year, Turner was sent to stay with his uncle in Brentford and soon began attending school at Margate, Kent, in 1786. By the age of 13, Turner began drawing sketches, which his father encouraged, going so far as to exhibit and sell, for a few shillings, his son’s works at his barber shop. His father even boasted to the artist Thomas Stothard, “My son, sir, is going to be a painter.”
At age 14, Turner was accepted into the Royal Academy of Art after years of studying under a topographical draughtsman, during which practiced architectural studies and exercises. This early experience augmented his formal artistic studies, in which he mainly drew from casts of ancient sculptures. One year later, in 1790, Turner’s first watercolor, A View of the Archbishop’s Palace, was displayed in the Royal Academy’s Exhibition, a spectacular achievement for such a young, aspiring artist. His early years studying and exhibiting at the Royal Academy were marked by a voracious appetite for learning and experimentation, laying the foundation for his future artistic endeavors.
| A View of the Archbishop’s Palace, Lambeth by Turner. 1790. Indianapolis Museum of Art. |
The European Adventures
In 1793, the Royal Society of Arts awarded the 17-year-old Turner the prestigious 'Great Silver Pallet. This award, and the growing market for landscape and topographical watercolors, bolstered his selling abilities and provided his first real artistic income. From the mid-1790s onward, Turner established a landscape routine that he would follow for the rest of his life: tour and sketch en plein air in the summers, then work on the final products in the studio during the winter. In the beginning, Turner toured only around the United Kingdom due to the post-revolutionary wars across Europe. Also during this time, Turner exhibited his first oil painting in 1796, Fisherman at Sea. The mastery of his works across different media led to his election as an associate member of the Royal Academy, a coveted position he achieved at 24.
| The Schöllenen Gorge from the Devil’s Bridge, Pass of St Gotthard by Turner. 1802. Tate Britain. |
In 1802, during the Peace of Amiens amidst the Napoleonic Wars, a group of noblemen sponsored Turner’s visit to Paris, where he studied the Old Masters at the Louvre and toured the Swiss Alps. His first journey abroad led to a thirst for exploration of novel landscapes and atmospheric conditions. Turner fell in love with the daring landscapes of Switzerland and the Alps, where few artists had painted extensively. His early travels exposed him to nature’s grandeur, where his sense of awe would translate to his canvases with ground-breaking realism. Returning six more times between 1802 and 1844, Turner experimented heavily on his trips to Switzerland.
At age 44, Turner traveled to Venice for the first time in 1819. His works from this period are considered some of his most magical and luminous. His paintings of Venice depict the city’s iconic canals, architecture, and luminous skies with ethereal beauty and a light brushstroke. Works such as Venice, from the Porch of Madonna della Salute (1835), offer a breathtaking panoramic view of the bustling city, where his technical mastery of landscapes is combined with his effervescent brushstroke technique. One young gentleman who recounted a short train ride with Turner through Italy in 1829 wrote, “He is continually popping his head out of the window to sketch whatever strikes his fancy, and became quite angry with the conductor when he would not wait for him whilst he took a sunrise view of Macerata...”
| Venice, from the Porch of Madonna della Salute by Turner. 1835. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. |
Turner’s Golden Era of Artistry
By the early 19th century, Turner had achieved celebrity status with his artistic prowess. In 1807, Turner accepted a position as Professor of Perspective at the Royal Academy, which he held until 1838. One of the hallmarks of his Golden Era of paintings is his innovative use of paint application. He employed a variety of brushstrokes, from thick impasto to delicate glazes, to create texture and depth in his compositions. Turner's Golden Era paintings encompassed various subjects, from majestic seascapes and tranquil riverscapes to dramatic historical scenes and atmospheric landscapes. His depictions of nature often evoked a sense of awe and wonder, inviting viewers to contemplate the sublime beauty of the natural world.
The popularity of Turner's paintings soared during this period, as his works captivated audiences with their emotional intensity and visual splendor. Exhibiting every year at the Royal Academy, his exhibitions drew large crowds and his paintings commanded high prices from collectors and patrons alike. Turner's influence extended beyond the art world, inspiring writers, poets and composers to explore themes of nature, beauty, and the sublime in their own works. For example, Claude Debussy drew inspiration from Turner's evocative sea paintings for his symphony La Mer.
| Dido Building Carthage, or the Rise of the Carthaginian Empire by Turner. 1815. The National Gallery, London. |
| The Decline of the Carthaginian Empire by Turner. 1817. Tate Britain. |
Beginning in the mid-1800s, Turner started to comment on contemporary events through his artwork. In 1815 and 1817, Turner painted two canvases that work together to tell a broader story: The Rise of the Carthaginian Empire and The Decline of the Carthaginian Empire. Exhibited two years after the fall of the Napoleonic empire, the luminous harbor scenes draw parallels between warring Rome and Carthage to the battles between England and France at the time. Like the sun that sets over North Africa in The Decline, Turner comments on Napoleon’s ultimate defeat at the hands of the British.
Breaking Boundaries: A Radical Evolution
| Slave Ship (Slavers Throwing Overboard the Deceased and Dying) by Turner. 1840. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. |
Turner's later years were characterized by a willingness to break free from the constraints of traditional artistic norms and push the boundaries of expression. One of the ways Turner broke these boundaries was through his bold use of color and form. He moved away from the precise detail and naturalistic rendering that had characterized much of his earlier work, opting instead for looser, more expressive brushwork and vibrant, non-traditional color palettes. Turner also challenged artistic conventions through his unconventional compositions and subject matter. He was drawn to scenes of elemental forces and natural phenomena, such as storms at sea, raging fires, and erupting volcanoes. In the monumental maritime landscape Slave Ship (Slavers Throwing Overboard the Deceased and Dying) from 1840, Turner bases the scene on the true story of the Zong, a British ship whose captain in 1781 threw overboard sick and dying enslaved people to cash in on their insurance. The horror of the event, captured in the hot, churning colors and torrid seascape, was the artist’s critique of the enduring use of slavery in America. These dramatic and often chaotic scenes departed from the serene landscapes and historical narratives that had been more typical in Western art.
| Storm Clouds, Perhaps Above a Beach by Turner. c. 1840-1845. Tate Britain. |
In addition to his radical approach to subject matter and technique, Turner experimented with the concept of representation itself. His later works bordered on abstraction, with forms dissolving into shimmering light and color. His ongoing study of clouds throughout the latter part of his career showcased Turner’s continued experimentation with watercolor and the depiction of atmospheric effects. Turner's willingness to embrace ambiguity in his art challenged traditional notions of realism and representation, paving the way for the emergence of modernist movements such as Impressionism and abstraction in the years to come.
