Lecture Notes on Joseph Mallord William Turner

Introduction to Turner

• Famous for his sunsets.
• Recognized as a leading British landscape painter.
• Known for dramatic skies, natural scenes, but also engaged with themes of technology and industry.

Turner's Context

• Born in 1775; died in 1851, amid the Industrial Revolution.
• Transition from the Age of Sail to the Age of Steam.
• Embraced science and technological progress, reflecting the major changes in British society.

Scientific Advancements During Turner's Life

• Major technological innovations:
  • Discovery of new elements by chemist Humphrey Davy.
  • Harnessing electricity by Michael Faraday.
  • Charles Babbage conceptualized the first computer.
• The era saw significant changes in engineering, transportation (canals, steamships), and industrialization.

Turner's Artistic Response to Industrial Revolution

• Captured the essence of industrial change through his art.
• Explored beauty in mechanization and change.
• Notable painting: The Fighting Temeraire
  • Painted at age 64, symbolizing the shift from sail to steam power.
  • Depicts the HMS Temeraire being towed by a steam tug to its final resting place.
  • Uses contrasting imagery of the majestic ship and a small, industrial tugboat.

Historical Significance of the Temeraire

• The Temeraire represented both glory and decline of Britain's naval past.
• Participated in the Battle of Trafalgar under Lord Nelson.
• Shifted from a celebrated battleship to being decommissioned and dismantled.

Artistic Elements in The Fighting Temeraire

• Atmospheric effects:
  • Moonrise and fiery sunset symbolize transition.
  • The tugboat represents the new industrial age, contrasting with the deteriorating sailing ship.
• Sound imagery:
  • Captures the noise of industry versus the silence of the old warship's demise.
• Viewed as an elegy for the Age of Sail, but also a hopeful transition to the future.

Turner’s Perspective on Modernity

• Turner saw steam power as a positive force, embracing it in his work.
• His sketches often reflected immediate observations of steamboats and their effects.
• Documented the changes in travel, such as the arrival of international steam travel in the 1820s.

Turner's Early Life and Education

• Born in Covent Garden, London in 1775; father was a barber and wig maker.
• Displayed early artistic talent; joined Royal Academy Schools at age 14.
• Influenced by the patronage of individuals who visited his father's shop.
  • Notable connection with Thomas Stottard, a member of the Royal Academy.

Career Development

• Under Joshua Reynolds, the first president of the Royal Academy.
• Turner's work was shaped by the idea of making a powerful impression through art.
• His upbringing instilled a sense of ambition, but also a frugality regarding money.