Who
was He?
Artist.
Date and Place
of Birth:
23rd April 1775, 21 Maiden Lane, Covent Garden,
London, England. Christened Joseph Mallord William
Turner.
Family Background: Son
of a barber and Whig-maker from the provinces.
Education: Studies
under Thomas Malton. Royal Academy Schools, London
from the age of 14.
Chronology:
1790's: Joined forces
with Thomas Girtin colour washing his drawings.
1793: Awarded the
Greater Silver Palette by the Society of Arts.
1799: Elected as
an Associate of the Royal Academy of Arts in London.
1800: Publishes some
poetry which was originally intended to complement
his exhibits at the Royal Academy. He often stayed
with his patron Lord Egremont at Petworth House
and lodged in many London taverns around this
period.
1802: Elected a Member
of the Royal Academy. Visits the Louvre in Paris
for the first time to see the paintings looted
by Napoleon.
1804: Sets up his
own gallery in his home at Harley Street, London.
1807: Appointed as
a Professor at the Royal Academy (of Perspective).
1811: Makes a trip
to Italy and is impressed by the landscape.
1814: Helps set up
the Artist's General Benevolent Institution.
1817: Makes a tour
of Germany and the Netherlands.
1819: Revisits Italy.
1823: Commissioned
to paint "The Battle of Trafalgar" by
St. James' Palace.
1825: Again makes
a tour of Germany and The Netherlands.
1831: Makes an extensive
visit to Scotland.
1832: Travels to
France and meets the famous artist Delacroix in
Paris.
1834: Tours Germany.
1836: Visits Switzerland
and France.
1837: Resigns his
teaching post at the Royal Academy.
1840:
Meets the critic John Ruskin who admires
his work greatly and who inspires him to visit
Venice.
1841: Makes another
tour of Switzerland.
1844:
Makes the acquaintance of Charles Dickens
and again makes a visit to Switzerland and Germany.
1845: Becomes the
Acting President of the Royal Academy.
1846: Takes lodgings
in Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, London and lives out
the rest of his days as a virtual recluse under
the assumed name of Admiral Booth.
1850: Exhibits for
the last time at the Royal Academy.
Marriage: Never
married.
Places of Interest:
LONDON:
Maiden
Lane, Covent Garden.
Harley
Street.
Cheyne
Walk, Chelsea.
Sandycombe Lodge, Twickenham.
National Gallery, Trafalgar Square. (especially
"Rain Steam and Speed" and "The
Fighting Temeraire").
Tate
Britain, Millbank. (has a series of galleries
devoted to his work).
Date and Place
of Death:
19th
December 1851, Chiswick, London, England in a
lodging house.
Age at Death: 76.
Site of Grave:
Artist’s
Corner, the Crypt, St. Paul’s Cathedral, London.
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