JMW Turner: biography of a painter tormented by the sea

JMW Turner was an English painter specialized in landscapes and narrative representations; perhaps one of the most important precursors of French Impressionism. His paintings, highly valued today, stand out for their luminous colors and brilliant atmospheres..

Joseph Mallord William Turner, known only by his surname, was a British painter of the 16th century. XIX. At the age of 10 he was sent to live outside London, in Middlesex, where he began secondary school. However, he soon abandoned this education. At only 14 years old, Turner is accepted as a student at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts.

During his early years as an artist, young Joseph dedicated himself to the production of watercolors. Some of his work was sold to customers at his father’s barbershop; Thus, these clients were the painter’s first market.

The painter’s early years

From a young age, Joseph preferred to travel and see new lands during vacations instead of returning to his hometown. From this moment on, his love for landscapes and natural settings began to take hold.. However, his technique was still very similar to that of other English painters of the time: quite rigid.

Just before turning 20, in 1794, JMW Turner became familiar with the works of Scottish painters such as John Robert Cozens.. This helps broaden his vision of landscape painting and produce more imaginative pieces.

Even by the expectations of the moment, Joseph is an exceptional artist. Since she was 21, she has exhibited pieces annually at the Royal Academy, an honor reserved for few. Despite this, Turner was never a man of refined manners and bourgeois tastes.

He always maintained the accent typical of the poor areas of London and did not like to wear clothes that were considered elegant at the time.. Furthermore, from a very young age he was a man of rude manners and abrupt gestures. Although critics acclaimed the young painter, some artists contemporary with Turner mocked him for his stutter.

Between diffuse skies and blurry contours

Already in the early works of JMW Turner, around 1805, it is possible to see the painter’s original way of representing the landscape. The emphasis on luminosity, atmosphere, and that dramatic, very romantic way of presenting the scenes.

The boundaries between heaven and earth in their landscapes become increasingly blurred, and topography is sacrificed to make way for color. The effects of light become the undisputed protagonists of his works.

In 1815 the great Tambora volcano exploded in Indonesia. Volcanic ash affected the entire northern hemisphere of the planet. For at least three years, the sky seemed to be always cloudy and the sunsets became brighter. According to research carried out by the Academy of Athens in Greece, it is possible that the colors in the skies of Turner’s works are due to the high level of volcanic ash in the atmosphere.

JMW Turner, while painting a large number of paintings, also read with great avidity. He enjoys Lord Byron and also William Shakespeare. Between 1815 and 1820, Joseph traveled through Europe visiting the great capitals of art. His stay in Italy definitely marks his style and his way of painting. After visiting Rome, the color in Turner’s works becomes even purer and brighter.

Turner was always a man who preferred movement and action over a sedentary life.. For this reason, he constantly looked for ways to travel. Over the next few years, Turner would visit a number of places in England and Scotland to find beautiful scenery. After his father’s death in 1829, Turner preferred to stay near the English coast, with its misty colors, wind and gardens.

The old age of the great JMW Turner

During his final years, Joseph becomes much richer, more famous, and more surly than ever.. Increasingly withdrawn and focused on painting as a form of expression, he did not cultivate many friendships.

In 1846, Turner lives in a small house on a river in Chelsea with a widowed woman. However, he does not stop traveling. After many years of staying in the country, Turner returns to explore Europe. During the last 15 years of his life, Turner produced around 19,000 drawings and paintings..

Joseph Turner died in Chelsea in 1851, and in his will donates all his works to the English National Gallery. His works have survived over the years thanks to the efforts of the Tate Gallery in London.

The evolution of colors and light in Joseph’s paintings has served as a basis for various researchers to suggest that the painter suffered from dementia.. Experts indicate that the abstraction of his paintings can be interpreted through psychology. However, it may simply be that the colors and diffuse light indicate a vision disorder.

JMW Turner was a pioneer in the study of light, color and atmosphere. His works served as inspiration for many French impressionists. However, unlike the Impressionists, Joseph always believed that it was the duty of art to express themes of narrative interest. For this reason, Turner’s landscapes are not simple landscapes, they are mythological, historical or literary narratives.

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