This trip to London I got to see Turner’s larger body of work in the Tate Britain, and I realize how wrong I was (didn’t like him before) or how partially I understood him, I still prefer John constable to him, but his ambition, the shear amount of work and the quality was incredible.
I prefer his earlier work since it bared the influence of the old masters (Claude laurin ) he was trying to emulate and successfully compete with.
some realistic seascapes we're also beyond words to describe in their virtuosity and beauty, there was also a definition and exactness his later works lacked.
Many of his later works carried a cockiness and amanneristic non-natural style I really didn't like, but he was a pioneer, culturally it was important for him to check those horizons and open those painterly ideas (which were revolutionary at the time) , it was important for the development of painting and the history of art in general.
If you’re in England definitely go see the turners at the Tate Britain.
Comments