Turner: The Late Seascapes

by James Hamilton

The English Romantic painter J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851) is renowned for his sublime and dramatic landscapes and seascapes. This volume, written by Turner expert James Hamilton and published in conjunction with a travelling exhibition organized by the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, focuses primarily on the artist's spectacular seascapes dating from the 1840s, the last decade of his illustrious career. The author provides insights into these powerful works, relating them to the artist's interest in poetry and drama as well as his curiosity about science, optics and photography. Turner's extensive travels and the relationship between Turner's paintings and 17th-century Dutch precedents are discussed in depth. Hamilton also examines the important role of the pendant in Turner's late art, arguing that his paired works have intentional associative narrative, stylistic and chromatic meanings. Furthermore, Hamilton traces the evolution of Turner's famous Whaling series, offering a new source for it. Including more than 100 examples of Turner's dramatic and lively marine pictures, 60 of which are reproduced in full colour, this title seeks to shed light on one of the world's most beloved artists.

162 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2003

About the author

James Hamilton is a curator, writer and lecturer, who entered the University of Manchester to read Mechanical Engineering, and emerged with a degree in History of Art.