Last month I visited the special exhibition on Turner: In Light and Shade. It is at Whitworth in Manchester, free to visit, and on until 2 November 2025. The exhibition is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the birth of J.M.W Turner. I think anyone in UK who loves dark landscapes is familiar with his work.
Because he is so famous for his paintings, his other work is overlooked. This exhibition is on his lesser known artwork – a series of landscape prints, the Liber Studiorum. I picked a few highlights. The ones that are themed around the sea are interesting also because of the years they were made in.
Watermill, 1812
The Leader Sea Piece, 1809
Top one is from 1815, unpublished, and the bottom one is from 1816.
Dunstanborough Castle, Northumberland, 1828. It was based on a drawing made in his sketchbook in 1797.
A landscape from Switzerland, 1804
This was published on 23 April 1812, another very important period. I included a close-up below.
An Old Welsh Bridge in Shrewsbury, 1794
Do stop by the Whitworth if you are in Manchester. It is a lovely place and the exhibition is very interesting.
Turner is one of my favorite artists but I admit to never having seen his more muted pieces, just the big paintings. Beautiful. I may even like them more.
I wouldn’t say I was into art but even I have heard of J.M.W Turner. What beautiful artwork! x
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Art History was one of my favorite classes in college, so I’m familiar with his work. I would really enjoy this exhibition. I think my favorite from what you’ve shared is the landscape from Switzerland,
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