J. M. W. Turner

Joseph Mallord William Turner (born in Covent Garden, London on April 23 1775 (exact date disputed), died December 19 1851) was an English Romantic landscape artist, whose style can be said to lay the foundations for Impressionism.

Legacy

Turner left a large fortune that he hoped would be used to support what he called "decaying artists". His collection of paintings was bequeathed to the British nation, and he intended that a special gallery would be built to house them. This did not come to pass owing to a dispute by his descendants over the legality of his will. Twenty years after his death, the paintings were given over to the British Museum. A prestigious annual art award, the Turner Prize, created in 1984, was named in Turner's honour.

Related Topics:
British Museum - Turner Prize - 1984

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A major exhibition, "Turner's Britain" , with material, (including The Fighting Temeraire) on loan from around the globe, was held at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery from 7 November 2003 to 8 February 2004. http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=28459&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=11123

Related Topics:
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery - 7 November - 2003 - 8 February - 2004

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In 2005 Turner's The Fighting Temeraire was voted Britain's "greatest painting" in a public poll organized by the BBC.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts/4214824.stm

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