J.M.W. Turner, "Fisherman at Sea"


    English painter, Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775 - 1851) first exhibited this oil painting in 1796 at the Royal Academy of Art.   It was highly acclaimed as a great success for Turner, who was still a very young man.  He had been admitted to the academy in 1799 at age 14, and generally considered a successful artist his entire life, earning him a respectable income.

     Three interesting things:  first, Turner created more watercolor works than oils.  Art, outside of historical works and family portraits, were slow to develop in the United Kingdom.  Watercolors were generally accepted and many were highly precision works.  2,000 of Turners watercolors survived, and 550 oils.   
     Second, Turner is remembered as a romantic painter, meaning he used his imagination in studio creating turbulent, often violent scenes of which our painting today is a perfect example.  This painting was so well liked when first exhibited, it helped elevate landscape painting in the eyes of the public.
    Third: this is a specific location.  In the background are the Needles which are a row of three stacks of chalk that rise out of the sea off the western coast of Isle of Wight, in the English Channel, United Kingdom.  In this case, chalk is a soft, white limestone created by sea creatures, shells.
    So now the painting.  Here we have three fishing boats, only one lit by the moonlight and lantern. 
The water is especially turbulent, so we assume the men are in some peril.  The dark clouds could indicate a storm.  The composition is pretty straight forward.  Half is devoted to sea, half to sky.  I love the addition of the three white birds, flying in the lower right, that seem to provide some visual balance to the scene.  This is the height of romance, providing the viewer with an exciting moment where we can only guess what will come next.  Will the boats be tipped, will the fisherman drown, or will they be guided back to land to waiting families?  
   Fisherman at Sea is an oil on canvas, painted 1796.  It measures almost 36 inches by 48 inches.  It is the property of the Tate Gallery in London, but is presently on loan to the Kunstmuseum, Luzen, Switzerland. 
   Make Art a part of your life, it's a beautiful thing to do.
 

Comments

  1. Char HarguthOctober 20, 2020 at 9:10 AM

    How different this would look if it were in daylight. He used the night sky to add to the dramatic and foreboding scene. I assume these fishermen are experts and will survive. The water seems quite turbulent so close to shore. He is an expert in making us feel the tense emotion of the moment. The lighting is amazing, surrounded by dark areas. I like the birds too. Turner is one of my favorite artists. It is also interesting how easily he transitioned to oils when watercolor was less in favor.

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