J.M.W. TURNER (1775-1851)
See also : England George I-III George IV to Victoria UK II Illustrators Ancient drawing Cities Venice Music and dance
Chronology : 19th century 1800-1809 1810-1819 1830-1839 1840-1849
Chronology : 19th century 1800-1809 1810-1819 1830-1839 1840-1849
1798 Turner on the Tweed
2017 SOLD for £ 580K including premium
Joseph Mallord William Turner found his vocation at the age of ten by coloring a book of engravings on English antiquities. He then visited various tourist sites of England. The first subject of his artistic interest is the architectural drawing.
Thomas Girtin has the same age and passion. When they meet in 1794 they are 19 years old. Girtin already takes advantage of the fluidity of watercolor to create images of monuments and landscapes that prefigure the romanticism.
Three years later Turner was enthused by Norham Castle over the Tweed, which had been abandoned when the advent of the Stuarts made obsolete the border disputes between England and Scotland. In one morning of very fine weather, the young man gets up before sunrise to admire the color of the sky behind the ruins. The atmosphere has become more important than the monument.
Like other English artists Turner works in a workshop according to his sketches. He does not master oil painting properly. His first masterpieces, highly admired at the Royal Academy's exhibition in London in 1798, are watercolors.
One of them of large size 52 x 74 cm shows the sunrise over Norham. It is estimated £ 500K for sale on July 5 by Christie's in London, lot 105.
This picture is a study of luminosity highlighted by the sky and the reflections on the river. Much balanced in its composition, it is altogether romantic with the outlines of the tall towers, rural with the water mill where the daily life is beginning, and bucolic with the cows coming down from the hill to soak their paws in the ford.
Turner accompanies this 1798 exhibition with a quotation in the catalog. He selected four lines from The Seasons by the local poet of southern Scotland, James Thomson. A contemporary of Rousseau and admired by Voltaire and a forerunner of Robert Burns, Thomson praised the merits of nature in words that moved the young artist. After the Napoleonic wars, Turner added a pacifist dimension to this poetic inclination, seeking to rediscover throughout Europe the observations and arguments of Byron.
Thomas Girtin has the same age and passion. When they meet in 1794 they are 19 years old. Girtin already takes advantage of the fluidity of watercolor to create images of monuments and landscapes that prefigure the romanticism.
Three years later Turner was enthused by Norham Castle over the Tweed, which had been abandoned when the advent of the Stuarts made obsolete the border disputes between England and Scotland. In one morning of very fine weather, the young man gets up before sunrise to admire the color of the sky behind the ruins. The atmosphere has become more important than the monument.
Like other English artists Turner works in a workshop according to his sketches. He does not master oil painting properly. His first masterpieces, highly admired at the Royal Academy's exhibition in London in 1798, are watercolors.
One of them of large size 52 x 74 cm shows the sunrise over Norham. It is estimated £ 500K for sale on July 5 by Christie's in London, lot 105.
This picture is a study of luminosity highlighted by the sky and the reflections on the river. Much balanced in its composition, it is altogether romantic with the outlines of the tall towers, rural with the water mill where the daily life is beginning, and bucolic with the cows coming down from the hill to soak their paws in the ford.
Turner accompanies this 1798 exhibition with a quotation in the catalog. He selected four lines from The Seasons by the local poet of southern Scotland, James Thomson. A contemporary of Rousseau and admired by Voltaire and a forerunner of Robert Burns, Thomson praised the merits of nature in words that moved the young artist. After the Napoleonic wars, Turner added a pacifist dimension to this poetic inclination, seeking to rediscover throughout Europe the observations and arguments of Byron.
Accueillie avec enthousiasme en 1789, cette #aquarelle signée #Turner est à retrouver le 5 juillet à Londres https://t.co/dcYLSSNpxc pic.twitter.com/GQJGL7jK27
— Christie's Paris (@christiesparis) July 3, 2017
1808 Pope's Villa at Twickenham by Turner
2008 SOLD for £ 5.4M including premium by Sotheby's
The image is shared by Wikimedia :
1816 Turner inspired by the Greeks
2009 SOLD 13 M$ including premium
In one of my first articles (in French only), I introduced an oil on canvas painted in 1808 by Turner. This work of his youth, 91 x 120 cm, caused by the planned destruction of Pope's villa at Twickenham, was sold £ 5.4 million including expenses by Sotheby's in London on 9 July 2008.
We come again at Sotheby's, this time in New York to find a large oil on canvas by the artist, 117 x 178 cm, for sale on January 29.
It is a temple of Jupiter Panellenius (ie friend of the Greeks). This painting is later (1816), but the composition is similar to that of 1808: an animated green leads to a remote monument, flooded with sunlight, which is the strong point of the image. The characters of the English villa were walkers. Those of the temple, dressed according to antique fashion, play a round dance.
Turner made only three paintings inspired by Greece. We must see the influence of the romantic come back to the antique (that at that time influenced also the cloth fashion) and not a political mood, as the movements that would lead to the independence of Greece were just beginning in 1816.
Considering its great size, this Turner painting is probably one of the most important to be still in private hands. It expects $ 12 million.
POST SALE COMMENT
Sotheby's knows the market for Turner. The result is in line with forecasts: $ 13 million including premium.
We come again at Sotheby's, this time in New York to find a large oil on canvas by the artist, 117 x 178 cm, for sale on January 29.
It is a temple of Jupiter Panellenius (ie friend of the Greeks). This painting is later (1816), but the composition is similar to that of 1808: an animated green leads to a remote monument, flooded with sunlight, which is the strong point of the image. The characters of the English villa were walkers. Those of the temple, dressed according to antique fashion, play a round dance.
Turner made only three paintings inspired by Greece. We must see the influence of the romantic come back to the antique (that at that time influenced also the cloth fashion) and not a political mood, as the movements that would lead to the independence of Greece were just beginning in 1816.
Considering its great size, this Turner painting is probably one of the most important to be still in private hands. It expects $ 12 million.
POST SALE COMMENT
Sotheby's knows the market for Turner. The result is in line with forecasts: $ 13 million including premium.
1819-1821 Turner, Illustrator of the English Countryside
2012 SOLD 217 K£ including premium
PRE SALE DISCUSSION
Turner loved the scenery and atmosphere of the English countryside. His watercolors on this topic are often part ofprojects of publications by local editors.
After illustrating the history of Leeds by Whitaker, the artist studied for the same historian the landscapes of Richmondshire, a district in Yorkshire. The watercolor, 29 x 42 cm, for sale by Bonhams in London on January 25, belongs to the latter series.
The artist is mastering his immense skill. This poetic view of Kirkby Lonsdale was admired and commented by Ruskin.The river and the hills in the morning light illustrate the pre-Impressionist style that made forever the glory of Turner, but the foreground with a group of playing boys has a beautiful clarity.
Whitaker started working on the Richmondshire project in 1819 and the original edition of the Kirkby Lonsdale print is dated 1821. The watercolor is estimated £ 200K, and is illustrated in the release shared by AuctionPublicity.
The art of Turner as an illustrator of England has already been discussed in this group. On July 13, 2011, a watercolor of Kent realised in 1824 was sold £ 252K including premium by the same auction house.
POST SALE COMMENT
The price is not surprising: £ 180K before fees, 217K including premium.
Turner loved the scenery and atmosphere of the English countryside. His watercolors on this topic are often part ofprojects of publications by local editors.
After illustrating the history of Leeds by Whitaker, the artist studied for the same historian the landscapes of Richmondshire, a district in Yorkshire. The watercolor, 29 x 42 cm, for sale by Bonhams in London on January 25, belongs to the latter series.
The artist is mastering his immense skill. This poetic view of Kirkby Lonsdale was admired and commented by Ruskin.The river and the hills in the morning light illustrate the pre-Impressionist style that made forever the glory of Turner, but the foreground with a group of playing boys has a beautiful clarity.
Whitaker started working on the Richmondshire project in 1819 and the original edition of the Kirkby Lonsdale print is dated 1821. The watercolor is estimated £ 200K, and is illustrated in the release shared by AuctionPublicity.
The art of Turner as an illustrator of England has already been discussed in this group. On July 13, 2011, a watercolor of Kent realised in 1824 was sold £ 252K including premium by the same auction house.
POST SALE COMMENT
The price is not surprising: £ 180K before fees, 217K including premium.
1824 Bad Weather over Kent
2011 SOLD 252 K£ including premium
PRE SALE DISCUSSION
Turner lived in Margate for a long time. He was inspired by bad weather on the landscapes of Kent. So it was naturally to him that WB Cooke ordered the pictures for the project of a portfolio of engravings.
The edition of 1826, entitled Picturesque Views on the Southern Coast of England, brought together 40 works by Turner. The original art of the plate number 1 is for sale on July 13 in London by Bonhams.
Entitled Whitstable Oyster Beds in a cartouche, this watercolor executed in 1824 shows oyster farmers with their horses under a stormy sky. It is a typical work of the master, with expressive colors, perfect perspective, and hardly outlined details that give realism to the whole scene.
It is shown in the press release shared by Artdaily. This small masterpiece, 16 x 24 cm, might deserve better than its estimate, £ 120K.
POST SALE COMMENT
Sold £ 210K before fees, 252K including premium. As expected, the estimate was exceeded by far.
Turner lived in Margate for a long time. He was inspired by bad weather on the landscapes of Kent. So it was naturally to him that WB Cooke ordered the pictures for the project of a portfolio of engravings.
The edition of 1826, entitled Picturesque Views on the Southern Coast of England, brought together 40 works by Turner. The original art of the plate number 1 is for sale on July 13 in London by Bonhams.
Entitled Whitstable Oyster Beds in a cartouche, this watercolor executed in 1824 shows oyster farmers with their horses under a stormy sky. It is a typical work of the master, with expressive colors, perfect perspective, and hardly outlined details that give realism to the whole scene.
It is shown in the press release shared by Artdaily. This small masterpiece, 16 x 24 cm, might deserve better than its estimate, £ 120K.
POST SALE COMMENT
Sold £ 210K before fees, 252K including premium. As expected, the estimate was exceeded by far.
1835 Turner over the Tiber
2014 SOLD for £ 30.3M including premium
Turner visited Rome twice, in 1819 and 1828. He was dazzled by that city which was trying to organize its modernity without denying its glorious past. During his first trip, he was concerned about illustration and drew hundreds of sketches of views and monuments. The goal of the second visit was to soak in the atmosphere for producing oils on canvas.
Turner had a friend as difficult as himself in his temper : Hugh Munro of Novar. It was the time of the watercolorist travelers and Munro would have liked to become an artist. Turner tried to help him but the younger man was not skilled. He was to become one of the greatest art collectors of his time.
When Turner returned from Rome, Munro commissioned him with a painting on which the city was to be shown with the greatest topographic truth. Turner reinspected his drawings. The oil on canvas showing the view of Rome from Mount Aventine, 93 x 126 cm, was completed in 1835.
In the morning light, this view is a masterpiece from that period of great maturity of the artist. The blurring by mist above the Tiber is a pre-impressionist feat. The drawing of the urban texture is of high detail all over the huge extent of the city and the animation is nice.
This work could be a pendant with a view from Capitoline hill purchased in 1839 by Munro. Passed in 1878 in the collection of the Earls of Rosebery, both paintings have remained in a fabulous condition. The view from the Capitol was sold for £ 29,7M including premium by Sotheby's on July 7, 2010.
The view over the Tiber is estimated £ 15M, for sale by Sotheby's in London on December 3, lot 44. I invite you to play the video shared by Sotheby's :
Turner had a friend as difficult as himself in his temper : Hugh Munro of Novar. It was the time of the watercolorist travelers and Munro would have liked to become an artist. Turner tried to help him but the younger man was not skilled. He was to become one of the greatest art collectors of his time.
When Turner returned from Rome, Munro commissioned him with a painting on which the city was to be shown with the greatest topographic truth. Turner reinspected his drawings. The oil on canvas showing the view of Rome from Mount Aventine, 93 x 126 cm, was completed in 1835.
In the morning light, this view is a masterpiece from that period of great maturity of the artist. The blurring by mist above the Tiber is a pre-impressionist feat. The drawing of the urban texture is of high detail all over the huge extent of the city and the animation is nice.
This work could be a pendant with a view from Capitoline hill purchased in 1839 by Munro. Passed in 1878 in the collection of the Earls of Rosebery, both paintings have remained in a fabulous condition. The view from the Capitol was sold for £ 29,7M including premium by Sotheby's on July 7, 2010.
The view over the Tiber is estimated £ 15M, for sale by Sotheby's in London on December 3, lot 44. I invite you to play the video shared by Sotheby's :
1835 Romantic Pilgrimage in Rhineland
2017 SOLD for £ 18.5M including premium
Turner is an illustrator. His watercolors are used to create collections of images and conversely the engravings are an effective way to disclose his major artworks.
He is also a keen traveler. When touring all over Europe he deliberately walked in the fictional footsteps of Childe Harold, the disillusioned young man of Byron's poem who visited the sites wrought by wars to satisfy his need for freedom.
In 1835 Turner finishes his sublime view showing Rome from the Aventine, oil on canvas 93 x 126 cm. Extending to the oil the traditional technique of watercolor, the superposition of very thin layers of paint brings a transparency that simulates the sunny mist without weakening the details of the drawing. This painting was sold for £ 30.3M including premium by Sotheby's on December 3, 2014.
The artist has reached an agreement for an image of Germany with the engraver John Pye after he had appreciated the quality of the effects of light in his prints. When he receives the promised work, Pye is frightened but it is too late to give up : Turner did not execute a watercolor but an oil on canvas of large size, 93 x 123 cm, with the same subtle hues as in the Roman view. Meeting the requirements of the patron is virtually impossible.
This painting is a view of Ehrenbreitstein, subtitled The Bright Stone of Honour and the Tomb of Marceau from Byron's Childe Harold. The ruined fortress of Ehrenbreitstein which still dominates Koblenz is a symbol of the vanity of the old wars. Marceau is that young French general killed at the age of 27 near Koblenz who had deserved such a reputation for chivalrous bravery that the two hostile armies participated together in his funeral.
Contrary to the Roman view, the view of Rhineland does not seek an overall topographical truth. It is a set of scenes where peasant girls cohabit peacefully with soldiers of both armies.
The painting was finished in 1835. Nine years later Turner became impatient with Pye who succeeded in convincing him that his work was not abandoned. The engraving was printed in 1845 under the pressure of a collector who wanted to buy the original painting to Turner.
The Ehrenbreitstein view is estimated £ 15M for sale by Sotheby's in London on July 5, lot 21. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
He is also a keen traveler. When touring all over Europe he deliberately walked in the fictional footsteps of Childe Harold, the disillusioned young man of Byron's poem who visited the sites wrought by wars to satisfy his need for freedom.
In 1835 Turner finishes his sublime view showing Rome from the Aventine, oil on canvas 93 x 126 cm. Extending to the oil the traditional technique of watercolor, the superposition of very thin layers of paint brings a transparency that simulates the sunny mist without weakening the details of the drawing. This painting was sold for £ 30.3M including premium by Sotheby's on December 3, 2014.
The artist has reached an agreement for an image of Germany with the engraver John Pye after he had appreciated the quality of the effects of light in his prints. When he receives the promised work, Pye is frightened but it is too late to give up : Turner did not execute a watercolor but an oil on canvas of large size, 93 x 123 cm, with the same subtle hues as in the Roman view. Meeting the requirements of the patron is virtually impossible.
This painting is a view of Ehrenbreitstein, subtitled The Bright Stone of Honour and the Tomb of Marceau from Byron's Childe Harold. The ruined fortress of Ehrenbreitstein which still dominates Koblenz is a symbol of the vanity of the old wars. Marceau is that young French general killed at the age of 27 near Koblenz who had deserved such a reputation for chivalrous bravery that the two hostile armies participated together in his funeral.
Contrary to the Roman view, the view of Rhineland does not seek an overall topographical truth. It is a set of scenes where peasant girls cohabit peacefully with soldiers of both armies.
The painting was finished in 1835. Nine years later Turner became impatient with Pye who succeeded in convincing him that his work was not abandoned. The engraving was printed in 1845 under the pressure of a collector who wanted to buy the original painting to Turner.
The Ehrenbreitstein view is estimated £ 15M for sale by Sotheby's in London on July 5, lot 21. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
This Turner masterpiece is going from private hands to open market: could it set a record for British art? @Sothebys https://t.co/BktorQc0NL pic.twitter.com/Wc4aRPGq3n
— AntiquesTradeGazette (@ATG_Editorial) April 4, 2017
1839 Turner on the Roman Hills
2010 SOLD 29.7 M£ including premium
During his two trips to Rome in 1819 and 1828, Turner made studies of panoramas and monuments. The Eternal City has continued to fascinate him: in 1839, he gathers these travel memories to compose a large oil on canvas, 90 x 122 cm.
The artist has placed the easel of his memory at the top of Capitoline Hill. The city lies before him, fully bathed in a wonderful light that enhances the perspective. The foreground is animated with efficiency and discretion by goatherds and peasants.
Do not look for photographic truth in this image. According to the style of that time, the position of the buildings owes more to art than to reality. But it is no longer a capriccio, and ancient and pontifical monuments are finely drawn.
Such a piece on the art market is by itself an event. Its exceptional condition makes it one the most important auction lots of the year. The painting has kept its original freshness and frame. It had been previously only once on the art market, in 1878. The Earl of Rosebery paid 4,450 guineas for it, on the occasion of his honeymoon.
On July 7 in London, Sotheby's announce this masterpiece at 12 million pounds.
POST SALE COMMENT
The estimate had been underestimated but not the importance of this painting, well relayed by the press releases.
Result: £ 29.7 million including premium.
See below the video shared by Sotheby's and the image shared by Wikimedia :
The artist has placed the easel of his memory at the top of Capitoline Hill. The city lies before him, fully bathed in a wonderful light that enhances the perspective. The foreground is animated with efficiency and discretion by goatherds and peasants.
Do not look for photographic truth in this image. According to the style of that time, the position of the buildings owes more to art than to reality. But it is no longer a capriccio, and ancient and pontifical monuments are finely drawn.
Such a piece on the art market is by itself an event. Its exceptional condition makes it one the most important auction lots of the year. The painting has kept its original freshness and frame. It had been previously only once on the art market, in 1878. The Earl of Rosebery paid 4,450 guineas for it, on the occasion of his honeymoon.
On July 7 in London, Sotheby's announce this masterpiece at 12 million pounds.
POST SALE COMMENT
The estimate had been underestimated but not the importance of this painting, well relayed by the press releases.
Result: £ 29.7 million including premium.
See below the video shared by Sotheby's and the image shared by Wikimedia :
1841 View of Venice by Turner
2006 SOLD for $ 36M including premium by Christie's
Link to catalogue.
1841 Heidelberg after the Rain
2013 SOLD 4.6 M$ including premium
Turner is the best illustrator of the European landscapes. In 1840, the engraver Thomas Prior commissions him for a view of Heidelberg. The small town on the Neckar is one of the most enchanting sites, with its bridge, its church, and the ruins of its palace on the hillside.
At 65, Turner is at the top of his art. He retains in his watercolors the exceptional light and iridescence from bad weather conditions. The landscape is always recognizable, and improved with small figures engaged in their daily tasks.
To respond to the order, he sketches Heidelberg when the rain has stopped and the rainbow is just beginning to rise. This large watercolor, 35 x 53 cm, was probably made in 1841. It will be published in 1846 by Prior.
The artwork presents a curiosity that is not a fantasy. Several characters are in medieval costume. Turner remains a witness of his time: the Heidelberg students used to dress in that way.
This is one of the most successful watercolors by Turner. It was rewarded by a price of £ 2M including premium at Sotheby's on 14 June 2001. It is now estimated $ 4M, for sale by Sotheby's in New York on January 31. Here is the link to the catalog.
POST SALE COMMENT
This very interesting example of a view made to order was sold $ 4.6 million including premium.
At 65, Turner is at the top of his art. He retains in his watercolors the exceptional light and iridescence from bad weather conditions. The landscape is always recognizable, and improved with small figures engaged in their daily tasks.
To respond to the order, he sketches Heidelberg when the rain has stopped and the rainbow is just beginning to rise. This large watercolor, 35 x 53 cm, was probably made in 1841. It will be published in 1846 by Prior.
The artwork presents a curiosity that is not a fantasy. Several characters are in medieval costume. Turner remains a witness of his time: the Heidelberg students used to dress in that way.
This is one of the most successful watercolors by Turner. It was rewarded by a price of £ 2M including premium at Sotheby's on 14 June 2001. It is now estimated $ 4M, for sale by Sotheby's in New York on January 31. Here is the link to the catalog.
POST SALE COMMENT
This very interesting example of a view made to order was sold $ 4.6 million including premium.
1841 Turner in the Colors of Switzerland
2012 SOLD 1.05 M£ including premium
For a long time, watercolors of Switzerland by Turner are considered as masterpieces, among the most perfect precursors of modern art. Take as an example the auction made by Christie's one hundred years ago, on 5 July 1912.
On that day, the Blue Rigi, 30 x 45 cm, was sold for 2700 guineas. Warm and varied colors supersede the drawing, in the admirable blur of a sunrise. Yet in the foreground, sharp tiny characters observe the landscape from the shores of the Lake of Lucerne.
More recently, the Blue Rigi came back to auction. Sold £ 5.8 million including premium by Christie's on 5 June 2006, this stunning drawing is now owned by Tate Britain.
In the sale of 1912, a smaller watercolor, 23 x 33 cm, was sold at nearly the same price: 2500 guineas. Based on a sketch made in 1841, it shows Lausanne. Colors explode within this remarkable landscape. Small farmers are busy with their daily work.
The watercolor of Lausanne is estimated £ 600K, for sale by Sotheby's in London on July 4.
POST SALE COMMENT
Very good results for three watercolors by Turner.
Lausanne, the main subject of this article, was sold £ 1.05 M. Domleschg, presented in the same video, reached £ 600K, and a sunset over a lake that had been estimated £ 80K has been sold £ 530K.
The great surprise of the sale was awarded to a beautiful drawing by Canaletto, sold £ 1.95 million on an estimate of £ 300K.
These prices include premium.
On that day, the Blue Rigi, 30 x 45 cm, was sold for 2700 guineas. Warm and varied colors supersede the drawing, in the admirable blur of a sunrise. Yet in the foreground, sharp tiny characters observe the landscape from the shores of the Lake of Lucerne.
More recently, the Blue Rigi came back to auction. Sold £ 5.8 million including premium by Christie's on 5 June 2006, this stunning drawing is now owned by Tate Britain.
In the sale of 1912, a smaller watercolor, 23 x 33 cm, was sold at nearly the same price: 2500 guineas. Based on a sketch made in 1841, it shows Lausanne. Colors explode within this remarkable landscape. Small farmers are busy with their daily work.
The watercolor of Lausanne is estimated £ 600K, for sale by Sotheby's in London on July 4.
POST SALE COMMENT
Very good results for three watercolors by Turner.
Lausanne, the main subject of this article, was sold £ 1.05 M. Domleschg, presented in the same video, reached £ 600K, and a sunset over a lake that had been estimated £ 80K has been sold £ 530K.
The great surprise of the sale was awarded to a beautiful drawing by Canaletto, sold £ 1.95 million on an estimate of £ 300K.
These prices include premium.
1842 The Blue Rigi, watercolor by Turner
2006 SOLD 5.8 M£ including premium by Christie's
Link to the catalogue.
1842 Turner in Lucerne
2018 SOLD for $ 1.1M including premium
Turner travels a lot, sketching the figures of the landscapes in his notebooks. He wishes to express the sublime while respecting sufficiently the topographic balance so that the location is immediately recognizable. He adds the atmosphere by the colors of the extreme hours of the day highlighted by the lightness and spontaneity of the watercolor.
The mountains appeal this idealist by their paradox between the aesthetic beauty of a calm day and the unstoppable power of its storms. From 1841 to 1844 he travels Switzerland in four successive trips. Murray's travel handbook does not leave his pocket : the legends created by the interaction between men and mountains nourish the creativity of the artist.
During the first of these four trips, Turner radically changed his business strategy. Previously he aimed at editing his images by printers. He now considers that watercolor can become a high quality product, providing the customer with an illusion of presence that exceeds that of oil painting.
On his first return to his workshop in 1842, Turner combined his sketches to make watercolors in mid format. He had not gone far from Lucerne and this new series of fifteen images is composed of views of the lake and of the Righi (Rigi) mountain. Passing off the initial reluctance of his seller Thomas Griffith, he prepares the large format watercolors that will be proposed as finished products, one per image. The large format allows him to add with his subtle touch and fine line the details that animate the scenery.
In this series the three views of the Rigi, blue and dark at dawn and red at sunset, anticipate by several decades the studies by Monet and Cézanne on the color variations. The 30 x 45 cm watercolor of the Blue Rigi was sold for £ 5.8M including premium by Christie's on June 5, 2006.
Almost all the mid sized watercolors from this first trip were bequeathed by Turner to Tate Britain. One of them, a view of the lake from Brunnen 25 x 31 cm, escaped that legacy : Turner had presented it to Griffith shortly after the completion of its large format. It is estimated $ 800K for sale by Christie's in New York on January 30, lot 84.
A large format of this view was used as a pendant with the Blue Rigi by its first owner, a whaling tycoon who appreciated this contrast between the quiet atmosphere of the lake and the brutal force of the rock.
The mountains appeal this idealist by their paradox between the aesthetic beauty of a calm day and the unstoppable power of its storms. From 1841 to 1844 he travels Switzerland in four successive trips. Murray's travel handbook does not leave his pocket : the legends created by the interaction between men and mountains nourish the creativity of the artist.
During the first of these four trips, Turner radically changed his business strategy. Previously he aimed at editing his images by printers. He now considers that watercolor can become a high quality product, providing the customer with an illusion of presence that exceeds that of oil painting.
On his first return to his workshop in 1842, Turner combined his sketches to make watercolors in mid format. He had not gone far from Lucerne and this new series of fifteen images is composed of views of the lake and of the Righi (Rigi) mountain. Passing off the initial reluctance of his seller Thomas Griffith, he prepares the large format watercolors that will be proposed as finished products, one per image. The large format allows him to add with his subtle touch and fine line the details that animate the scenery.
In this series the three views of the Rigi, blue and dark at dawn and red at sunset, anticipate by several decades the studies by Monet and Cézanne on the color variations. The 30 x 45 cm watercolor of the Blue Rigi was sold for £ 5.8M including premium by Christie's on June 5, 2006.
Almost all the mid sized watercolors from this first trip were bequeathed by Turner to Tate Britain. One of them, a view of the lake from Brunnen 25 x 31 cm, escaped that legacy : Turner had presented it to Griffith shortly after the completion of its large format. It is estimated $ 800K for sale by Christie's in New York on January 30, lot 84.
A large format of this view was used as a pendant with the Blue Rigi by its first owner, a whaling tycoon who appreciated this contrast between the quiet atmosphere of the lake and the brutal force of the rock.
