Visual & Decorative Arts Blog

Painted in 1839, this painting's full title is The Fighting Temeraire Tugged to her Last Berth to be Broken up. J.M.W. Turner (1775–1851) was in his sixties when he painted it in London, and so it showcases his mastery – particularly of sea and sky – gathered over a distinguished career. Paint is layered on thickly to make up the sky and the sun's rays, which is in contrast to the delicate detail used for the ship's rigging.

Topics: J. M. W. Turner, romanticism

Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775–1851) is an elusive figure who hovers on the peripherals of his paintings and sketches. He was hugely prolific during his life, and apart from his exhibition oils and watercolours, has left a legacy of sketchbooks and drawings done during his extensive travelling. His work leaves us with volumes of information about his painting, his techniques and his influences, but little about his essential being.

Topics: J. M. W. Turner, romanticism

Haunting, wild, evocative: the dramatic landscapes of J.M.W. Turner (1775–1851) and Caspar David Friedrich (1774–1840) convey many of the ideals of Romanticism, an exciting artistic era that emerged out of various reactions to Neoclassicism, the Age of Reason, the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution. These richly diverse works prioritized imagination and emotion, valuing the sublime and the atmospheric by bringing the response of the artist into play.

Topics: J. M. W. Turner, Masterpieces of Art, Art Movements

We're proud to be working with the Ashmolean Museum, located in Oxford. The museum boasts an extensive collection collection of eastern art, ranging from prints, to sculpture, textiles, and more. Right now we have several beautiful designs from the museum available on iPhone 5 cases. The perfect gift for the tech-savvy, art lover in your life.

Topics: Museums & Galleries, J. M. W. Turner, Japanese Woodblock Prints

The Tate Britain has been an unmissable display of British art since its inception in 1897. When Henry Tate tried to release his collection of masterpieces of art into the world to be enjoyed by all, the National Gallery didn’t have the space for it, and so he built his own gallery in which to showcase all of the artworks he had collected. Since then, four Tate galleries have opened (Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives), between them holding an outstandingly impressive collection of British and international art. 

Topics: Museums & Galleries, J. M. W. Turner, William Blake, Art Calendars, Kasimir Malevich

Reviews for the new film Mr. Turner are out, and the general consensus is that this film is just as great as Turner's original paintings. Timothy Spall's performance even won him the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival, and a lot of people are saying that his portrayal of J.M.W. Turner could even win him an Oscar. Robbie Collins, of The Telegraph, says, 'His repertoire of grunts alone comfortably extends past a hundred, and you wonder if perhaps Spall went Method for the role, living for years in a sty until he got the voice, posture and smell just right. But beyond the troughfuls of fun tics, Spall makes Turner tenderly and totally human, which has the effect of making his artistic talents seem even more God-given.'

Topics: J. M. W. Turner, Masterpieces of Art

With the Late Turner: Painting Set Free exhibition about to start at Tate Britain, showcasing the 'Painter of light' in a new and fascinating way, one doesn't have to reach deep to find enthusiasm for these beautiful paintings, depicting every kind of landscape, in all variants of light. I for one, cannot wait to visit the show.

Topics: Museums & Galleries, J. M. W. Turner

Mr Turner, a new movie about beloved classic British artist J.M.W. Turner has been one of the breakout successes of the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, with lead actor Timothy Spall winning the award for Best Actor. The movie explores the real person behind the legendary landscape painter, an eccentric man from humble beginnings. Let us take a look back at the life of the man which inspired this film…

Topics: J. M. W. Turner, Masterpieces of Art