The Life of J. M. W. Turner
Founded on Letters and Papers Furnished by his Friends and Fellow Academicians

A pioneering two-volume biography (1862) exploring the genius of this Romantic landscape and historical painter, printmaker and Royal Academician.

Walter Thornbury (Author)

9781108059435, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 14 February 2013

442 pages, 4 b/w illus.
21.6 x 14 x 2.5 cm, 0.56 kg

This pioneering two-volume biography, first published in 1862, explores the genius of the groundbreaking Romantic landscape and historical painter J. M. W. Turner (1775–1851). As both journalist and historian, author Walter Thornbury (1828–76) has a light touch, yet he draws on a wide range of correspondence, sketchbooks, watercolours and etchings to give a detailed picture of Turner's artistic development and connections, and his increasingly eccentric character. Volume 2 fills out the record by detailing the artist's relationships with patrons such as Lord Egremont of Petworth House, and such fellow Royal Academicians as the sculptor Sir Francis Chantrey. Among the topics covered here are Turner's love of poetry, dealings with buyers, miserliness (or otherwise), the tailing off of his powers, and his final mysterious metamorphosis into 'Admiral Booth'. Advised by Ruskin not to try to 'mask the dark side' of his subject, Thornbury presents a rounded but still admiring picture of his hero.

1. Turner at Petworth
2. Turner's poetry
3. Turner's friends and contemporaries
4. Turner and the Royal Academy
5. Turner's character
6. Turner at Queen Anne Street
7. The origin of several pictures
8. Turner on varnishing days
9. Mr Ruskin and the Turner critics
10. Turner as a correspondent
11. Turner's Venetian pictures
12. The business man
13. Turner and Chantrey
14. Thirst for knowledge in old age
15. The Artists' Benevolent Fund
16. Twilight
17. The Turner portraits
18. Turner's genius
Appendix.

Subject Areas: The arts: general issues [AB]