The great English artist William Turner is a romantic, realist, proto–impressionist and a precursor of abstractionism. After his death, Turner's colleagues looked into the artist's studio and saw there half a thousand canvases that he did not have time to complete. Many of these works depicted something completely incomprehensible.
The life and work of William Turner
The parents of William Turner, who was born on April 23, 1775 in London's Covent Garden, were ordinary people. His father owned a workshop where he made wigs, and his mother's relatives sold meat. Joseph Turner liked the hobby of his son, whose first drawings he decorated the window in his store.
A talented fourteen-year-old teenager became a student of the Royal Academy of Arts. There were no special problems in the painter's life until old age. His exhibitions were held regularly. Turner had regular customers and patrons.
William wanted to accurately depict in his paintings how air and water move, so he took up the study of physical laws and natural sciences. He used oil to create watercolors, so the light background on his canvases is airy, mobile and ephemeral.
At the end of his life, Turner painted abstract paintings that were criticized by his colleagues and customers. Rumors were spreading around London that the artist had gone mad.
On December 19, 1851, William Turner died after contracting cholera. His paintings, according to the artist's will, became the property of the state. There is a legend that before his death he uttered the words: "The sun is God."
Iconic works of the artist
The creative heritage of the English landscape painter William Turner is more than half a thousand canvases and about two thousand watercolor works. According to them, art historians have traced how the work of the master evolved, who at first painted peaceful romantic landscapes, and in his later works one can observe a complete splitting of forms.
"Fishermen at sea" (1796)
This work is considered the first oil painting shown by Turner at the Royal Academy of Arts.
In a romantic landscape, the elements confront people. The plot unfolds near the English Isle of Wight. A small fishing boat may soon be covered by violent waves. The water reflects the bright and cold moonlight in the night sky. Only the fishermen's lantern is a warm accent in the dark element raging around.
"Self-portrait" (approximately 1799)
On a dark brown dense background, a 23-24-year-old successful gentleman is depicted in a snow-white shirt, a luxurious tie, two vests, a coat with a high collar and a face that looks like a spotlight is directed at.
A twenty-pound note in the UK is issued with a self-portrait of William Turner.
"Snowstorm. The passage of Hannibal's army across the Alps" (1812)
The main character in the picture was a terrifying snowstorm, a dense color mass that sweeps away everything in its path. If you look closely, then in the center of the picture, somewhere in the distance, an elephant is visible.
"Dido, the founder of Carthage" (1815)
At one time, Turner was greatly impressed by the canvas "The Departure of the Queen of Sheba", created by Claude Lorrain. The composition, perspective and light accents of "Dido" resemble a painting by a French painter. The river flows in the direction of the sun. On both sides along the banks it is framed by ancient buildings, and the foreground is a hint of the "Aeneid" created by Virgil.
"San Giorgio Maggiore, early morning" (1819)
Turner painted this watercolor when he first visited Venice. On it, a huge pearl-blue sky is reflected in the water. There is some kind of inner radiance on the canvas. The viewer is waiting for the morning fog to dissipate soon and the appearance of a powerful sun.
"Rain, steam and speed" (1844)
The picture shows the locomotive of a train rushing over the bridge. This is an impressionistic artist's view of a high-speed ride in the rain.
Sunrise with Sea Monsters (1845)
Judging by the name, the picture shows how the sun rises over the sea surface, and the painter depicted the "monster" in the form of red and pink curls at the bottom of the canvas. According to some researchers, the picture shows a steamer. Others think that the artist has abstractly depicted a space from which pure light pours.
Important information!
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