Turner and Changing Visions of Landscape

Few have seen the natural world more intensely and imaginatively than JMW Turner (1775-1851). He occupies probably the most significant position in landscape art in the western world. He immersed himself in landscapes, perhaps more than any other artist had ever done.

Every artist sees something different. Landscape art blends reality and the imagination, which may be influenced by factors including culture, location, fashion, politics, class, race or religion. What we see depends on who we are.

In Britain, until the later 1700s, depicting nature for its own sake was not a major artistic concern. Landscapes were usually idealised or imaginary, used as backgrounds for portraits, or religious, mythological or battle scenes, rather than studies of real places.

Landscape art developed in continental Europe earlier than in Britain, especially in the Low Countries. Dutch paintings of more realistic landscapes, featuring ordinary people and activities, came to Britain in the seventeenth century, sparking debate over the purpose of art. Most people thought that art should be inspiring and uplifting, or reflect religious virtues. This meant that everyday landscapes, copied directly from the real world, could be seen as boring, and not true art.

During the later 1700s landscape painting became much more popular. When Turner began his career he had a range of artists' work to study, including the most admired landscape artist in mainland Europe, Claude Lorrain.

Did you know?

The first known landscape painting by a British artist was by an East Anglian, Nathaniel Bacon, from Suffolk, around 1627. He painted an imaginary scene in a Flemish style, which is now in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.