About the Book
Alone of his contemporaries, J.M.W. Turner is commonly held to have prefigured modern painting, as signalled in the existence of The Turner Prize for contemporary art. Our celebration of his achievement is very different to what Victorian critics made of his art. This book shows how Turner was reinvented to become the artist we recognise today.On Turner's death in 1851 he was already known as an adventurous, even baffling, painter. But when the Court of Chancery decreed that the contents of his studio should be given to the nation, another side of his art was revealed that effected a wholescale change in his reputation. This book acts as a guide to the reactions of art writers and curators from the 1850s to the 1960s as they attempted to come to terms with his work. It documents how Turner was interpreted and how his work was displayed in Britain, in Europe and in North America, concentrating on the ways in which his artistic identity was manipulated by art writers, by curators at the Tate and by designers of exhibitions for the British Council and other bodies. -- .
Table of Contents:
Introduction pages 1-12
Chapter One Legacies and reputations pages 13-63
Chapter Two Taking Turner’s measure – posthumous exhibitions and writings pages 64-112
Chapter Three Turner and modern criticism, c. 1890-1970 pages 113-162
Chapter Four Turner at the Tate pages 163-203
Chapter Five Turner abroad: the British Council and other exhibitions pages 204-246
Chapter Six Turner in the 1960s pages 247-271
Bibliography pages 272-281
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
1.1 Snowstorm: Steam Boat off a Harbour’s Mouth making Signals in Shallow Water, and going by the Lead. The Author was in this Storm on the Night the Ariel left Harwich (1842), oil on canvas, 91.5 x 122. Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection. Bequest of the artist 1856.
1.2 Thomson’s Æolian Harp(1809), oil on canvas, 166.7 x 306, City Art Galleries, Manchester.
1.3 Pope’s Villa at Twickenham (1808), engraved J. Pye (1811). Private collection.
1.4 Field of Waterloo from the Picton Tree (1835), engraved W. Miller. Private collection.
1.5 War. The Exile and the Rock Limpet (1842), oil on canvas, 79.5 x 79.5. Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection. Bequest of the artist 1856
1.6 Peace. Burial at Sea (1842), oil on canvas, 87 x 86.5. Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection. Bequest of the artist 1856
1.7 The Hero of a Hundred Fights (1847), oil on canvas, 91 x 121. Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection. Bequest of the artist 1856
1.8 The Opening of the Walhalla, 1842 (1843), oil on canvas, 112.5 x 200.5. Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection. Bequest of the artist 1856
1.9 Rome from the Vatican. Raffaelle, accompanied by La Fornarina, preparing his pictures for the decoration of the loggia (1820), oil on canvas, 177 x 335.5. Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection. Bequest of the artist 1856
1.10 Dido building Carthage; or the Rise of the Carthaginian Empire (1815), oil on canvas, 155.5 x 232, The National Gallery, London.
1.11 Sun rising through Vapour; Fishermen cleaning and selling Fish (1807), oil on canvas, 134.5 x 179, The National Gallery, London.
2.1 Fire at Sea now known as Disaster at Sea (c. 1835), oil on canvas, 171.5 x 220.5. Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection. Bequest of the artist 1856
2.2 Chichester Canal (c.1828), oil on canvas, 65.5 x 134.5. Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection. Bequest of the artist 1856
2.3 Petworth Park: Tillington Church in the distrance (c.1828), oil on canvas, 64.5 x 145.5. Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection. Bequest of the artist 1856
2.4 Rain, Steam and Speed –The Great Western Railway (1844), oil on canvas, 91 x 122. The National Gallery, London.
2.5 ‘Hurrah! for the Whaler Erebus! Another Fish!’, (1846), oil on canvas, 90 x 121. Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection. Bequest of the artist 1856
2.6 Calais Pier, with French Poissards preparing fdor Sea: an English Packet arriving (1803), oil on canvas, 172 x 240. The National Gallery, London.
3.1 Crossing the Brook (1815), oil on canvas, 193 x 165. Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection. Bequest of the artist 1856
3.2 Norham Castle, Sunrise (c.1845-50), oil on canvas, 91 x 122. Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection. Bequest of the artist 1856
3.3 Hastings now known as Brighton Beach with the Chain Pier in the Distance, from the west, (1830-35) oil on canvas, 91 x 122. Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection. Bequest of the artist 1856
3.4 Interior at Petworth [ also known as study for the Sack of a Great House] (c. 1835), oil on canvas, 91 x 122. Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection. Bequest of the artist 1856
4.1 The Thames above Waterloo Bridge (c. 1830-5), oil on canvas, 90.5 x 121. Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection. Bequest of the artist 1856
4.2 The Evening Star (c. 1830), oil on canvas, 92.5 x 123. The National Gallery, London.
4.3 The new Turner Wing (Gallery VI) in 1910. University of Plymouth.
4.4 Walton Reach (c. 1807), oil on mahogany veneer, 37 x 73.5. Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection. Bequest of the artist 1856
4.5 Plan of Tate Gallery between the wars. Private Collection.
4.6 The Burning of the Ships now known as Disembarkation of Louis-Philippe at Portsmouth, 8 October 1844 (c. 1845), oil on canvas, 90 x 120.5. Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection. Bequest of the artist 1856
4.7 The new Turner displays at the Tate Gallery, 1967. Tate Archive.
5.1 Scene on the Banks of a River now known as Dieppe: The Port from Quai Henri IV (1828), oil on canvas, 60.5 x 89. Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection. Bequest of the artist 1856
5.2 Eton from the river (c.1807), oil on mahogany veneer, 37 x 66.5. Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection. Bequest of the artist 1856
5.3 Rocky Bay with Figures (c. 1830), oil on canvas, 91.5 x 124.5. Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection. Bequest of the artist 1856
5.4 Tintern Abbey from the East (c.1794), watercolour on paper, V & A Images/Victoria and Albert Museum.
5.5 Source of the Arveron (c.1810), watercolour on paper, Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection. Bequest of the artist 1856
6.1 San Giorgio Maggiore early morning(1819), watercolour on paper, 8.8 x 11.9 inches. Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection. Bequest of the artist 1856
6.2 The Pink Sky (after 1820). Watercolour on paper, 7.25 x 8.8 inches. Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection. Bequest of the artist 1856
6.3 Sunrise at Sea (after 1820), watercolour on paper, 11.5 x 15.5 inches, Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection. Bequest of the artist 1856
6.4 Seascape with storm coming on, (c. 1840), oil on canvas, 91.5 x 121.5. Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection. Bequest of the artist 1856
6.5 Arth from Lake of Zug, watercolour on paper, ? x ?, Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection. Bequest of the artist 1856
6.6 Turner: Imagination and Reality installed at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1966
About the Author :
Sam Smiles is Professor of Art History at the University of Plymouth
Review :
"This book offers an important contribution to Turner scholarship. A thoroughly enjoyable and engaging book to read." Professor David Hill, University of Leeds"
