J.M.W. Turner

Narrated by Jeremy Irons, this National Gallery of Art presentation offers a half-hour biographical profile of noted British landscape artist J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851), featuring numerous examples of his work, as well as location footage of some of Turner's favorite sites in England, Wales, and Switzerland. A barber's son who entered the Royal Academy art school at the age of 14 and quickly rose to fame, Turner's artistic forte lay in landscapes, which then ranked low on the aesthetic ladder (beneath historical paintings and portraiture). Undaunted, Turner continued to explore the sublime within nature, often flooding his landscapes with blinding light (one critic dubbed Turner a cook with a “mania for curry powder”), while steadily moving toward a non-representational impressionistic style (Turner is rightly considered one of the forefathers of Impressionism) in works such as The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons, 16th October, 1834 (1835) and Rain, Steam and Speed—The Great Western Railway (1844). While reaction to Turner's work was mixed during his own time, his contemporary John Ruskin's appraisal of Turner as one of the “greatest artists ever” has prevailed, and art aficionados (including visitors to the National Gallery of Art) continue to show their appreciation for this greatly influential artist who once said “atmosphere is my style.” Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (R. Pitman)