J.M.W. Turner - part 1

1791-73  Self Portrait
oil on? 52 x 41.9 cm
 Indianapolis Museum of Art Indiana

Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775-1851) is perhaps the best-loved English Romantic artist. He became known as 'the painter of light', because of his increasing interest in brilliant colours as the main constituent in his landscapes and seascapes. His works include water colours, oils and engravings.Turner was born near Covent Garden in London and entered the Royal Academy Schools in 1789. His earliest works form part of the 18th-century topographical tradition. He was soon inspired by 17th-century Dutch artists such as Willem van der Velde, and by the Italianate landscapes of Claude and Richard Wilson.

He exhibited watercolours at the Royal Academy from 1790, and oils from 1796. In 1840 he met the critic John Ruskin, who became the great champion of his work.Turner became interested in contemporary technology, as can be seen from "The Fighting Temeraire" and :Rain, Steam and Speed". At the time his free, expressive treatment of these subjects was criticised, but it is now widely appreciated. Turner bequeathed much of his work to the nation. The great majority of the paintings are now at Tate Britain.

This is part 1 of a 13-part series on the works of J.M.W. Turner:

c1700-1800 View towards Moel Hebog from above Llyn Dinas
pencil and watercolour with stopping-out 66 x 85 cm
Tate Britain, London 

c1704 Newark-upon-Trent
watercolour and graphite on medium, slightly textured, cream wove paper 30.5 x 41.9 cm
Yale Centre for British Art, New Haven, CT

c1783 The Remains of Abingdon Abbey, now called
Starve Castle
watercolour with pen and black ink 27 x 20.7 cm
Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford

c1785 Saltwood Castle, Kent
watercolour over graphite 14.4 x 20.3 cm
Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford

c1789 Lacy's Court, Bath Street, Abingdon
graphite and watercolour on paper 16 x 25 cm
Tate Britain, London

1790 View of the Archbishop's Palace, Lambeth
watercolour 26.6 x 38.1 cm
Newfields, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

1790-99 Dark Prison (Carcere Obscura)
watercolour over graphite 36 x 23.5 cm
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, USA

c1790-1800 Bisham Abbey, Berkshire
watercolour over graphite 20 x 26.2 cm
Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, UK

c1790s Fisherman's Cottage, Dover
watercolour,  graphite and gray wash on medium, slightly textured, cream wove paper 13.3 x 20 cm
Yale Centre for British Art, New Haven, CT

1791-92? A House with Outbuildings in a Wooded Landscape
pencil, watercolour and pen and brown ink on white wove paper 20.7 x 30.1 cm
Tate Britain, London

1791-93 Classical Studies: Tate Britain, London:

1790 Half-length Study of the Fighting Gladiator
black and white chalks with stump on dark buff paper
33.7 x 26.9 cm

1791-92 Study of the Jason?
pencil with black and white chalks and stump on laid buff paper 42.5 x 26.7 cm

c1791 Full-length Study of the Fighting Gladiator
black and white chalks and stump on laid buff-grey wrapping paper, laid down on modern white paper 38.3 x 24.6 cm

1792 Study of the Vatican Meleager
pencil and black chalk on white wove paper 36.6 x 30.9 cm

1792 Study of a Head
black chalk and stump on off-white paper 37.2 x 26.6 cm

1792 Study of the Apollo Belvedere?
black and white chalks and stump on laid grey wrapping paper 46.1 x 30 cm

1792 Study of the Vatican Meleager
black and white chalks on grey-buff laid paper 4.16 x 25.6 cm

1792 Study of the Venus de' Medici
black and white chalks and stump on laid buff-grey wrapping paper 39.2 x 26.4 cm

1792 Study of the Venus de' Medici
black chalk and stump on off-white paper 37.2 x 26.6 cm

1792 The Head and Torso of the Apollo Belvedere
black and white chalks on brown laid wrapping paper
41.9 x 26.9 cm

1792-3 Study of the Apollo Belvedere
black chalk and stump on off-white wove paper 47.3 x 31.4 cm

1792-3 Study of the Head of Paris?
black and white chalks and stump on laid buff-grey wrapping paper 27.5 x 27.1 cm 

1793 Head of the Apollo Belvedere
black and white chalks on laid brown-grey wrapping paper 44.0 x 27.7 cm

1793 Study of the Belvedere Hermes
black and white chalks and stump on laid buff-grey paper
40.0 x 21.6 cm

1793 Study of the Vatican Discobolus
black and white chalks and stump on laid brown-grey wrapping paper 44.0 x 27.7 cm 

1793 Study of the Fighting Gladiator
black and some white chalk on buff wove paper 58.0 x 45.7 cm

c1791 Dent de Lion, near Margate
watercolour, graphite, and pen and brown ink on medium, slightly textured, cream wove paper 25.7 x 34.6 cm
Yale Centre for British Art, New Haven, CT

1792 Canterbury: Christ Church Gate
pencil and watercolour on white wove paper, laid down
21.4 x 27.4 cm
Tate Britain, London

1792 Canterbury: The West Gate, from the River Stour
pencil and watercolour on white wove paper 21.5 x 27.5 cm
Tate Britain, London

1792 Study of a Figure in the Pose of the Dying Gaul
black and white chalks on laid buff-grey wrapping paper
28.2 x 38.5 cm

1792-93 An Octagonal Turret and Battlemented Wall: Study of Part of the Gateway of Battle Abbey
 graphite and watercolour on paper 17.2 x 14.6 cm
Tate Britain, London

1792-93 Oxford: St Mary's Church and the Radcliffe Camera from Oriel Lane
pencil and watercolour on white wove paper 27.4 x 21.6 cm
Tate Britain, London

1792-93 Oxford: Tom Tower, Christ Church
pencil and watercolour on white wove paper 27.2 x 21.5 cm
Tate Britain, London

1792-93 St. Augustine's Gate, Canterbury
watercolour and graphite on medium, slightly textured, cream wove paper 21 x 27 cm
Yale Centre for British Art, New Haven, CT

c1792 Llanthony Abbey, Monmouthshire
watercolour 18.5 x 26.9 cm
Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields, Indianapolis, USA

1793 Clare Hall and the West end of King's College Chapel, Cambridge, from the banks of the River Cam
 watercolour and graphite on medium, slightly textured, cream wove paper 20 x 27.6 cm
Yale Centre for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection

1793 Rochester Castle from the River
pencil and watercolour on white wove paper 21.5 x 27 cm
Tate Britain, London

c1793-94 A Male Nude Seated Cross-legged on Rocks, with His Chin in his Hand: a Study of an Arm and Hand
black, white and red chalk and stump on laid buff paper
56.5 x 42 cm
Tate Britain, London

1794-95 A Standing Male Nude with both Arms raised to the Right, on Steps, with a Broken Column and Foliage
black, white and red chalks with stump on brown paper, mounted and laid down 46.2 x 29.6 cm
Tate Britain, London

c1794-95 A Kneeling Male Nude with Upraised Head and Arm in a Landscape Setting
black, white and red chalks with stump on laid brown-grey wrapping paper 46.3 x 29.2 cm
Tate Britain, London

c1794-95 A Seated Male Nude with a Staff and with Right Arm on Head, in a Landscape Setting
black, white and red chalks with stump on buff-grey paper
46.3 x 29.6 cm
Tate Britain, London

c1794-95 A Standing Male Nude, holding a Staff and with Left Arm outstretched, in a Landscape Setting black, white and red chalks with stump on laid buff-grey paper 46.7 x 29.8  cm
Tate Britain, London

1796 A Standing Male Nude, with Arms behind Back and one Foot on a Step, in Front of a Column
black and white chalk on brown paper 44.3 x 29.5 cm
Tate Britain, London

c1796-97 A Standing Male Figure with Arms Supported in a Loop above his Head: a Landscape Beyond
black and white chalks with stump on laid blue wrapping paper, laid down 48.9 x 29.9 cm
Tate Britain, London

c1796 A Male Nude Stooping over a Rock, Seen from the Side
black and white chalks with stump on laid blue paper 55.0 x 38.0 cm
Tate Britain, London

c1796 A Standing Male Nude, with Right Arm Raised, Seen from Behind
black and white chalks and body colour on laid blue wrapping paper 51.4 x 34.9 cm
Tate Britain, London

c1797-9 A Supine Male Nude with One Leg Raised
black and white chalks on buff-brown paper, 50.8 x 41.9 cm
Tate Britain, London