J.M.W.Turner a Chronology

• 1775 Born on 23 April (St George's Day) at 21 Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, London. The son of William Turner, a barber & wig maker.

• 1787 Takes up drawing and painting watercolor for first time, later his father sells then in his shop.

• 1789-90 Goes to study under Thomas Malton. Admitted to Royal Academy School, (RA) exhibits his first watercolor, The Archbishop's Palace, Lambeth.

• 1790 Tours the West Country

• 1793 The Society of Arts Awards Turner the "Greater Silver Pallet", meets and works with life time friend Thomas Girtin: goes to South Wales to draw.

• 1794 Turner become famous as a topographical draughtsman, producing original pictures for engravings.

• 1795 Tours southern England and south Wales, and visits Isle of Wight.

• 1796 Exhibits the first oil painting along with 10 watercolor at the RA.

• 1799 Studies Claude Lorrain the artist, which has a great effect on his early style. Elected Associate Member of Royal Academy. Moves into Harley Street with Sarah Danby by her has two daughters.

• 1800 Publishes poetry intended to accompany exhibits at RA.

• 1801 Tours Scotland, returns via Lake District.

• 1802 Elected full member of RA at the young age of 27. Travels to France and Switzerland.

• 1804 Sets up a gallery at his Harley Street home. Death of mother after long illness.

• 1805 First exhibition in his own gallery, London

• 1807 Appointed Professor of Perspective at RA, often uses letters after his Name (P.P.) Publishes part 1 of Liber Studiorum. Buys Building plot at Twickenham.

• 1809 First of many visits to Petworth, the seat of Lord Egremont, one of Turner patron. 

• 1810 Moves to 47 Queen Ann Street West, Summer visit to Farnley Hall

• 1811 First lecture as professor at Royal Academy. Visits Italy.

• 1814 Founder member of Artist General Benevolent Institution, supports this for many years.

• 1815 End of war with France, so able to travel once again in Europe.

• 1815 Paints 'Dido Building Carthage' refuses five thousand guineas ( a huge sum of money then) never sells this painting, finally bequeathed it to the British Nation on his death.

• 1817 Summer tour of Netherlands and Rhine, returns and stays at Rady Castle, then on to friend Walter Fawkes at Farnley.

• 1819 Trip to Italy, the wonderful light here has an amazing effect on Turner's colours. Does around 25 sketches a day during his 2 month stay, two main paintings from this trip 'Looking East from the Guidecca, Sunrise' and 'San Giorgio Maggiore', which must be adjudged as masterpieces.

• 1820 Moves his gallery to Queen Ann Street after working to enlarge and build new gallery.

• 1822 Goes to Edinburgh for the State Visit of George 1V.

• 1823 Commissioned to paint The Battle of Trafalgar for St James's Palace; this completed by May 1824.

• 1824 The National Gallery was established, and Turner was on the committee to decide where to house it- The National Gallery Trafalgar Square, London being the chosen place.

• 1825 Toured Holland, the Rhine, and Belgium. Death of true friend Walter Fawkes on October 25th.

• 1828 Takes his last class at the RA, ( they were not very successful anyway, sometimes his loyal father  was the total audience).

• 1825 Tour of  Holland, Germany and Belgium. Death of friend Walter Falkes.

• 1829 Death of father. Exhibits England and Wales series of watercolor in London. Visits France.

• 1831 Tour of Scotland. Revises his Will as he's in poor health during the year.

• 1832 Visits Paris, meets with artist Delacroix.

• 1834 Tours Meuse, Moselle and the Rhine.Spend time with Sophia Booth at Margate.

• 1836 Tours France, Switzerland and Val d'Aosta

• 1837 Death of  patron Lord Egremond. Resigns as Professor of Perspective at the RA

• 1839 Paints "The Fighting Tameraire" age 64.

• 1840 He met the critic and artist John Ruskin, who became the great champion of his work. Visits Venice

• 1841 Visits Switzerland for the first of three visits over the next three years.

• 1844 Meets Charles Dickens. Visits Switzerland, Heidelberg, and the Rhine.

• 1845 Acting President of Royal Academy, Tours  France

• 1846 Rents lodgings at Cheyne Walk, Chelsea and lives rest of his life as a recluse under pseudonym of Admiral Booth.

• 1848 Increasing Infirmity. Revises his Will.

• 1850 Last exhibition at the Royal Academy.

• 1851 December 19, Turner dies in Chelsea home. Buried in St Paul's Cathedral. Bequeaths 19,000 works to Nation.

Self Portrait 1799

Turner Book Shop Turner Poster Shop

Turner's House

Lines on the Turner Statue for St Paul's Cathedral  By R.J.Lane, Esq., A.E.R.A.    'In habit as he lived' and wrought,  And listened as sweet nature taught,  Turner in simple guise  Upon a rock observant stands;  He pauses as the scene expands  In splendor to his eyes;  Then glancing o'er the land, the sea,  Sets his creative fancy free.    And as the sculptor's lofty reach  Aspires in metaphor to teach,  Thus, in immortal stone,  MacDowell's ready wit suggests  The rock on which great  Turner rests Unshackled and alone.

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*Romantic is a descriptive word applied to art, music, and literature, mainly of the early 19th century, which share common quality. These include energetic individuality with an affinity to the natural world. Artists in the group whose pieces were Romantic include  Constable, Girtin, Friedrich, Delacroix, and of course Turner.

        Turner became interested in contemporary technology, as can be seen from "The Fighting Temeraire" and "Rain, Steam and Speed". At the time his free, expressive handling of these subjects was criticized, but it is now widely appreciated.
  
    The Turner Bequest is the name given to the gift of a large number of paintings and drawings which the English artist Joseph Mallord William Turner  made posthumously to the British nation. Most of these works are now in the Clore Gallery at the Tate Gallery on Millbank, London, in one institution, as he wished. Not counting real estate the artist's fortune was valued at £140,000, including more than 19,000 paintings watercolor and drawings. Around 250 for every year of his life. However the Royal Academy conditionally left £1000, got £20,000, and distant relations, not mentioned in his will, got the houses and money: We the public never got our complete collection of Turner's work held together in one gallery as requested, until the Clore Gallery 140 years late- a violation of Turner's rights.
     Under the terms of the Turner Bequest, two of his paintings were directed to be hung in the National Gallery with two of the gallery's pictures by Claude, as they now are in the marvelous Room 15. 

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Joseph Mallord William Turner was born in London, England, on April 23, 1775. His father was a barber

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