What a joy it was to visit one of my favorite cities in the world and find there was an exhibition of the works of my most favorite painter. JMW Turner was a British painter (1775-1851) whose works changed the course of painting. The title of this exhibit at the DeYoung Museum was appropriately titled “Painting Set Free.” I was first made aware of Turner while in my early 20’s when I was given a print of one of his works. I immediately fell in love and have enjoyed a life-long love affair with his beautiful and daring paintings.
When Turner died, he bequeathed all his unsold works to the people of Britain. Much of his work is on exhibit in the Tate Gallery in London. I have been fortunate enough to visit that gallery a few times to see his original works in their full glory. It was the Tate Gallery that arranged this first-of-its kind exhibition of his later works. To my mind, his later works from 1835 until his death in 1851 are the best of all his paintings. He did set painting free. He may be considered the father of modern paintings, especially those of the Impressionists who came 40 years later. Those painters considered him a genius and forward thinker that laid the ground work that eventually allowed their works to become mainstream.
The painting shown here is called “Snow Storm” and shows a steamboat off the mouth of a harbor. It depicts the technological achievement of steam power pitted against the raw forces of nature. Turner claimed he was on this boat during a storm and had himself lashed to the mast to see it for himself. Whether or not that story is true remains a mystery. My photo of this work does not even come close to the power of the original painting.
Most of the oil paintings and watercolors at the exhibit show the raw explosiveness of light and boldness of nature. He chose subjects such as the sea, landscapes, cities, and even scenes from mythology…unlike the Impressionists who mostly chose scenes from everyday life. If you are intrigued by the above painting, I encourage you to find books on his works or explore them on the Internet. I think you will find yourself captivated and want to see more.
Most of his work in the latter stages of his life were assaulted unmercifully by art critics of the time. Today, most art experts believe Turner was working principally for his own satisfaction, heedless of the demands of patrons or the criticism of art critics. To me and others, Turner was a visionary, aware as no other painter before of what landscape painting might be. The title of the exhibit says it all…”Painting Set Free.”
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