William Turner (1775-1851) was an English painter who was particularly famous for his depictions of the various elements: water, air, fire, and his paintings became a source of inspiration for the Impressionists. Art historians have noted that Turner's artworks allow us to see beauty in completely unexpected phenomena and places that many people simply did not notice, they allow us to expand the boundaries of perception of the world and remain in the memory for a long time.
Snowstorm. Hannibal's army crossing the Alps
His work is a finely calibrated balance between chaos and tranquility, and they were also well abstract - Turner is more interesting not cheeky academic figurativeness, which usually looks good only in living rooms, and the riot of colors and elements, painted so that at first glance his work is not distinguishable from the works of abstractionists. This has always somewhat alarmed art critics of those years, however, Turner did cunningly and gave his paintings clear names, excluding any ambiguous interpretation. But still the attitude to his work was controversial, although his talent and phenomenal technique recognized by all without exception.
Sunrise with sea monsters
Turner was of very simple origin - his father worked as a barber, but managed to overcome all the class prejudices of those years and become one of the most famous and wealthy British artists. True, good manners and pleasant character - this is not about Turner, creativity for him was more important than family and friends. Once he did not even come to the wedding of his daughter, because there was a lucrative order, which he did not want to miss. However, with the same ease he could part with friends and his patrons - their location for Turner did not matter much, as if he completely ignored the famous proverb: "do not have a hundred rubles, but have a hundred friends.
The last voyage of the frigate Daring.
Money and orders for Turner were more important, perhaps a consequence of his poor background - too long and hard had to climb to the top, fully experienced the need, and when he finally broke out "in the people", he too began to appreciate the material component and his status as a famous artist.
But only in appearance and manners Turner remained a cockney - that is, a commoner, a descendant of the lower class, and in no way resembled a prim gentleman.
Self-Portrait, 1799.
Even in the self-portrait of 1799, he thoroughly embellished himself - on a pleasant young man with fine features Turner did not resemble absolutely, rather a sailor or a coachman, because of the long stay in the fresh air and work on the plein air - it is necessary somehow to observe so much he loved the elements, Turner coarsened face.
The way to the ball
And to the money Turner treated as a small sneaky clerk - that is, nothing did nothing for nothing, for free, but for a decent baksheesh was ready for anything. Contemporaries wondered how petty avarice can coexist with such an extraordinary talent. Because of his avarice, some said that Turner "great Jew", and once a bookseller who was to invite Turner to lunch, deliberately removed pork from the table and recommended the artist to visit the nearest synagogue.
Rain, steam, and speed. The Great Western Railroad
However, Turner was not a complete bogeyman, when he became rich he bought houses for rent, but he was not a harsh and unyielding landlord, because he realized how hard it was for a poor man to pay for a rented house. One particularly needy debtor did not even pay for several years.
Regulus
Turner was very fond of depicting the sun and the sun's rays, and achieved considerable skill at it. He carefully studied all the latest scientific discoveries related to our luminary, used specific artistic techniques, such as watercolor blurring or broken strokes, and could depict sunlight as something intangible, almost invisible, or so bright that it seemed like a candle was shining behind the picture.
Fire in the Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament on October 16, 1834
In addition to the sun, Turner liked to depict various fires, which looked truly spectacular in his paintings. In 1834, a fire broke out in the Palace of Westminster, a huge crowd gathered, and Turner stood on the bridge, carefully trying to remember everything that was happening, and hastily wrote a sketch, which was transformed into this painting. Impressed critics wrote that Turner's paintings should be covered with a wet blanket, otherwise the elements will break free and burn everything around, and this is not the best assessment of the work of such an outstanding artist?
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