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Roger Macdivitt .

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RE: GREAT MASTERS OF PAINTING - WILLIAM TURNER
6/19/2013 7:52:28 AM

Wonderful. I run out of words.

Although the styles and subjects are vastly different (Turner's depiction of light and dark are almost the first thing that you notice in his pictures), Richard Dadd's striking light effects have the same arresting effect.

I wonder what happened in those unproductive years Miguel?

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Luis Miguel Goitizolo

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RE: GREAT MASTERS OF PAINTING - WILLIAM TURNER
6/20/2013 2:53:00 AM

I would not go so far as to say they were unproductive, Roger. I have been thinking about that assertion of mine and the truth is Turner did produce a few great paintings in the 1820s, but also produced others that not only in my opinion, but apparently also in the view of other people, were rather irrelevant or simply inferior (even if they don't mention it). For example, some great websites, mainly the Artchive.com, the WebMuseum.com and the Web Gallery of Art.com, fail to show any of Turner's works from 1819 to 1829, while other no-less
great websites, like the Athenaeum, do show a number of works from that period but they are mostly watercolors, with which he was more familiar (remember he began to paint in oil relatively late in his life) and which, as usual, were outstanding: See, for example, his Norham Castle on the River Tweed of 1822-23 in page 5 of this thread - a wonderful master work in its own right!

On the other hand, the period in question approximately corresponds to the years he spent in Venice and at first thought, this might hold a clue: was he trapped by sensual women or could have he led a dissolute and
unproductive life? Not a joke, it was a possibility. But then I thought of another, and I guess more reliable, possibility: Could it be that he had dedicated those years to explore a new way to express his art? And yes, I have concluded he may have been in the process of creating impressionism, even though at the time it was not called that way or was even known as such; and as is only natural and logic, he must have been groping around something that back then was unknown but which after nearly a decade of trial and error, could not have rendered a better outcome: I mean, extraordinary works of him such as his Rocky Bay with Figures of 1831, and his Wreckers: Coast of Northumberland of 1834 (the two of them shown in page 8 of this thread, near the bottom).

Summing up, I may be wrong but I believe this is the answer to my concern. And not only that, it is very probable that all this has been mentioned in many articles or even books without my knowing it... after all, I am always pressed by time and quite simply, I have not been able to enrich my knowledge about Turner's life and works. On the other hand, I believe I have told you at some time that I prefer it this way. After all, discovering new facts about the great masters of painting in history makes it all a wonderful adventure.

Thanks for listening,

Miguel

"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)

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Roger Macdivitt .

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RE: GREAT MASTERS OF PAINTING - WILLIAM TURNER
6/20/2013 7:08:55 AM

I agree Miguel. I should have chosen a better word.

Your comments and observations are very interesting.

I fall over books about Turner all of the time.

I will see if I can find out what was happening at that time.

Roger

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Luis Miguel Goitizolo

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RE: GREAT MASTERS OF PAINTING - WILLIAM TURNER
6/20/2013 10:12:27 AM
Roger, I have just found at 'The Athenaeum' two works by Turner that somehow prove my point - i.e they go from a most beautiful and idyllic but pretty conventional watercolor of 1926 (which shows that he in no way had lost his skills) to a no-less beautiful but decidedly impressionist, almost pointillist, one (it took him four years! to complete) after several less fortunate (or possibly incomplete?) attempts in oil (for example his Dead on a White Horse, an oil on canvas that you may find here). I am adding yet another beautiful but equally conventional watercolor below them (to further reinforce my view?).


William Turner - Prudhoe Castle, Northumberland
(for Picturesque Views of England and Wales)
(watercolor on paper, 1826)

William Turner - Scene on the Loire (watercolor on paper, 1826-1830)

William Turner - Rodhes (for "Lord Byron Works")
(watercolor on paper, 1823-1824)

"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)

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Roger Macdivitt .

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RE: GREAT MASTERS OF PAINTING - WILLIAM TURNER
6/20/2013 9:20:34 PM

You might be right Miguel.

I can see what you are saying.

Roger

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