Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775-1851)
Joseph Mallord William Turner is one of the greatest English romantic painters and the most original of English landscape artists. Turner
was bom in London in 1775. His first drawings are dated 1787, when he
was only twelve. His childish sketchbooks are still preserved in the
British Museum. He received almost no general education but at 14 he
became a student at the Royal Academy of Arts and three years later was
making drawings for magazines. In 1791 he exhibited two watercolors at
the Royal Academy for the first time. He became famous for visionary
interpretations of landscape, making experiments with light and colour.
In 1802 he went to the Continent, where he painted his famous
Calais Pier (now exhibited in the National Gallery, London). Later he
often travelled in England or abroad, using every opportunity to make
sketches for his studio paintings in oil and watercolour. His works were
exhibited regularly, and in 1807 he became professor of the Academy.
Turner showed a remarkable ability to choose the best from the tradition of landscape painting. Among his paintings are Dido Building
Carthage (The National Gallery, London) and Crossing the Brook (The
Tate Gallery, London).
Despite his early and continued success Turner lived a very quiet
life. As his fame grew, he bought a large gallery in London for exhibition of his work, but continued to live very modestly with his old father.
His painting became increasingly abstract, as he wanted to portray light,
space, and the elemental forces of nature. He showed atmospheric effects with bright colours, for example, in The Grand Canal (The Metropolitan Museum, New York) and Approach to Venice (The National
Gallery, Washington, DC). In his will he left more than 19,000 water224
colours, drawings, and oils to the nation. Most of these works are in the
National Gallery and the Tate Gallery, London. In watercolour he is
unsurpassed.
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8. Answer the following questions:
1. What is Joseph Mallord William Turner famous for?
2. When did he begin to draw?
3. At what age did he become a student at the Royal Academy of Arts ?
4. What kind of experiments did he make?
5. He often went abroad, didn’t he?
6. Prove that Turner lead a modest life.
7. Name the most famous of Turner’s paintings.
8. Where are his paintings exhibited?
1. What is Joseph Mallord William Turner famous for?
Joseph Mallord William Turner is one of the greatest English romantic painters and the most original of English landscape artists.
2. When did he begin to draw?
His first drawings are dated 1787, when he
His first drawings are dated 1787, when hewas only twelve.
3. At what age did he become a student at the Royal Academy of Arts ?
At the age of 14 he became a student at the Royal Academy of Arts.
4. What kind of experiments did he make?
He made experiments with light and colour in his visionary interpretations of landscape.
5. He often went abroad, didn’t he?
Yes, he did. Turner visited the Continent in 1802 and later he often travelled in England and abroad to make sketches.
6. Prove that Turner lead a modest life.
Despite his early and continued success Turner lived a very quiet life with his old father.
7. Name the most famous of Turner’s paintings.
Among his paintings are Dido Building
Among his paintings are Dido BuildingCarthage, Crossing the Brook, The Grand Canal and Approach to Venice.
8. Where are his paintings exhibited?
His paintings are exhibited in the National Gallery and the Tate Gallery in London, the Metropolitan Museum in New York and the National Gallery in Washington, DC.