C. LEWIS HIND

WITH FIFTY OF THE PAINTINGS AND DRAWINGS

OF TURNER REPRODUCED IN COLOUR

LONDON: T. C. & E. C. JACK

67 LONG ACRE, W. C.

AND EDINBURGH

1907

Plate I. Frontispiece Norham Castle—Sunrise (about 1885) Tate Gallery

'Turner has some golden visions, glorious and beautiful. They are only visions, but still, they are art, and one could live and die with such pictures.'—John Constable on the 1828 Royal Academy Exhibition.

NOTE

In writing on Turner one must necessarily make levies on the works of other authors. I give hearty acknowledgment to Mr. A. J. Finberg's Inventory of the Drawings of the Turner Bequest (printed for His Majesty's Stationery Office), which he himself has used with skill and accomplishment in his Turner's Sketches and Drawings (Methuen & Co.). Among the other books consulted and quoted from are Turner, by Sir Walter Armstrong (Agnew & Sons); Turner, by W. L. Wyllie, A.R.A. (G. Bell & Sons); The Turner Drawings, by E. T. Cook (Pall Mall Press); The Engraved Work of Turner, and Turner's 'Liber Studiorum', by W. G. Rawlinson; the delightful Extra Numbers of The Studio on Turner, and the excellent little book by the late Cosmo Monkhouse. Ruskin, of course, is frequently referred to and quoted, also the inaccurate but indispensable Thornbury, whose Life of Turner all succeeding writers on Turner have borrowed from and upbraided.

C.L.H.

CONTENTS.

PART ONE

A MEMORY: TELLS OF A BOY WHO LOVED TURNER'S

'VIEW OF ORVIETO'

I. The Boy and golden Orvieto3

II. The Boy wonders at Turner's Art Life7

III. The Boy wonders at Turner the Dumb Poet11

IV. The Boy, having become a Man, wonders at the Inventory of the Turner Bequest Drawings17

PART TWO (1775-1803)

FROM 'FOLLY BRIDGE' TO 'CALAIS PIER'

V. 1775. Birthplace and Parents23

VI. 1790 (aged 15). He exhibits at the Royal Academy, and is described as a light-hearted, merry creature27

VII. 1795 (aged 20). The Drawings of 'the ingenius Mr. Turner' are stated by a newspaper of the day to be 'tinctured with truth and fidelity'34

VIII. 1800 (aged 25). His first Oil Pictures, and Extracts from his Sketch-Books39

IX. 1802 (aged 27). He exhibits grandiloquent 'Jason' and a simple 'View on Clapham Common'46

X. 1803 (aged 28). The Year of 'Calais Pier'51

PART THREE (1804-1810)

FROM 'THE SHIPWRECK' TO AN EARLY GOLDEN VISION

XI. 1804 (aged 29). He studies an Eclipse and paints the Sunset57

XII. 1805 (aged 30). He paints 'The Shipwreck' for Fame, and begins a series of 'Delight Studies' for Love59

XIII. 1806 (aged 31). The chaos of the 'Hesperides' and the peace of 'Abingdon'62

XIV. 1807 (aged 32). He begins the Liber Studiorum, and exhibits 'The Sun Rising through Vapour'65

XV. 1808 (aged 33). He writes P.P. after his name and paints in a Garden at Hammersmith72

XVI. 1809 (aged 34). He exhibits the glowing 'River Scene with Cattle' and refuses to sell 'Bligh Sand'78

XVII. 1810 (aged 35). A Quiet Year and an early Golden Vision82

PART FOUR (1811-1820)

FROM A JOURNEY TO DEVONSHIRE TO HIS RETURN FROM ITALY

XVIII. 1811 (aged 36). 'Apollo Killing the Python,' and a Picnic87

XIX. 1812 (aged 37). He exhibits 'Hannibal Crossing the Alps,' suggested by a Snowstorm he had seen at Farnley92

XX. 1813 (aged 38). Hoar Frost at Sunrise that has Vanished from 'A Frosty Morning'97

XXI. 1814 (aged 39). He paints more Classical Pictures, turns Author, and is happy at Sandycombe100

XXII. 1815 (aged 40). 'A wonderful year,' and a Turnerian Love-Letter104

XXIII. 1816 (aged 41). Skies! Skies! Skies!107

XXIV. 1817 (aged 42). He sells fifty Water-Colours to Mr. Fawkes of Farnley Hall108

XXV. 1818 (aged 43). 'The Abbotsford Turners' and an auction price of a Turner Water-Colour112

XXVI. 1819 (aged 44). Turner's First Visit to Italy, and an Exhibition in Grosvenor Place114

XXVII. 1820 (aged 45). Return from Italy. He begins to sight his Mystical Visions118

PART FIVE (1821-1829)

FROM 'THE BAY OF BAIÆ' TO 'ULYSSES DERIDING POLYPHEMUS'

XXVIII. 1822 (aged 47). He throws off another 'Norham Castle,' and prepares to startle the world with 'The Bay of Baiæ'123

XXIX. 1823 (aged 48). 'The Bay of Baiæ': A Critic is critical and a Painter is enthusiastic125

XXX. 1824 (aged 49). A Glance at some of The Rivers of England and Harhours of England Water-Colours130

XXXI. 1825 (aged 50). A somewhat barren year, commented on in a bitter lament by Ruskin135

XXXII. 1826 (aged 51). Another unimportant year, in which he leaves Twickenham137

XXXIII. 1827 (aged 52). He paints the Sea in the open, and some Thames-side Pictures140

XXXIV. 1828 (aged 53). The Year when Constable described Turner's Visions as 'Golden, Glorious, and Beautiful'147

XXXV. 1829 (aged 54). The Year of 'Ulysses Deriding Polyphemus'151

PART SIX (1830-1834)

FROM THE 'INTERIOR AT PETWORTH' TO THE PERIOD OF THE 'UNFINISHED' OILS

XXXVI. 1830 (aged 55). He paints the 'Interior at Petworth,' and mourns the death of his Father, and of Sir Thomas Lawrence157

XXXVII. 1831 (aged 56). He turns his 'magic limelight' on 'Caligula's Palace and Bridge,' visits Sir Walter Scott, and makes his Will164

XXXVIII. 1832 (aged 57). He paints 'Childe Harold's Pilgrimage,' and is jocular on Varnishing Day167

XXXIX. 1833 (aged 58). He paints his first 'Venice' picture, and repurchases some of his own Drawings at Auction169

XL. 1834 (aged 59). Some old Stories and some Ageless Colour Studies172

PART SEVEN (1835-1845)

FROM A CONSIDERATION OF THE 'UNFINISHED' OILS TO 'RAIN, STEAM, AND SPEED,' AND THE LAST SKETCH-BOOKS

XLI. 1835 (aged 60). Some remarks on the 'Unfinished' Oils and Blackwood's attack on his 'Venice' picture of this year179

XLII. 1836 (aged 61). The Reception of 'Juliet and Her Nurse' proclaims that Turner is beginning to lose Favour with the Public186

XLIII. 1837 (aged 62). 'Troubles begin to gather about him. Nothing will go right' 188

XLIV. 1838 (aged 63). A 'Nonsense Picture' of 1838 which in 1878 fetched £5460 at auction190

XLV. 1839 (aged 64). 'The Fighting Téméraire' and a Sea-Piece on a Visiting-Card192

XLVI. 1840 (aged 65). A contrast between the terrific 'Slave Ship' and the mild 'New Moon'197

XLVII. 1841 (aged 66). How Turner 'did it.' He 'grasped the handle and plunged the whole drawing into a pail of water'200

XLVIII. 1842 (aged 67). 'The Snowstorm and some 'Faultless' Water-Colours202

XLIX. 1843 (aged 68). Visions of Venice, and the First Volume of Modern Painters207

L. 1844 (aged 69). He exhibits 'Rain, Steam, and Speed,' and twice tries to cross the Alps on foot213

LI. 1845 (aged 70). Pictures of Whalers, and an Entry on the last page of his last Sketch-Book218

PART EIGHT (1846-1851)

THE YEARS OF DECLINE AND THE END

LII. 1846 (aged 71). The Beginning of Turner's Decline, and a 'Grey, dim Drawing'225

LIII. 1847, 1848, 1849 (aged 72 to 74). He disappears from his old Haunts, and is interested in Optics and Photography230

LIV. 1850 (aged 75). His last four pictures painted in hiding at Chelsea236

LV. 1851 (aged 76). The Mystery of the Last Years of his Life revealed to his Friends, and his Death240

PART NINE

AFTER TURNER'S DEATH TO THE OPENING OF THE TURNER GALLERY IN 1910

LVI. Vicissitudes of the Turner Bequest251

LVII. 1906. Exhibition of the 'Unfinished' Turners at the Tate Gallery259

LVIII. 1908. Fifty-two more 'Unexhibited' Turners shown at the National Gallery263

LIX. 1910. The New 'Turner Gallery' at Millbank271

LX. Turner at the National Gallery—and Claude: A Last Look 280

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PLATE 1. 'NORHAM CASTLE, SUNRISE' (about 1835)frontispiece 2. 'VIEW OF ORVIETO' (1830). NATIONAL GALLERYII 3. 'LUCERNE AND THE RIGHI: EARLY DAWN' (about 1842). Water-Colour. W. G. RAWLINSON, Esq. 10III 4. 'YACHT RACING IN THE SOLENT'—No. 2 (1827). TATE GALLERYIV 5. 'BARNARD CASTLE' (about 1827). Water-Colour. W. G. RAWLINSON, Esq.V 6. 'DERWENTWATER WITH THE FALLS OF LADORE' (about 1797). Water-Colour. TATE GALLERYVI 7. 'STUDY FOR A PICTURE OF NORHAM CASTLE' (about 1799). Water-Colour. TATE GALLERYVII 8. 'STONEHENGE: SUNSET' (about 1804) Water-Colour. W. G. RAWLINSON, Esq.VIII 9. 'THE SUN RISING THROUGH VAPOUR (1807). NATIONAL GALLERYIX 10. 'THE DEATH OF NELSON' (1808). TATE GALLERYX 11. 'RIVER SCENE WITH CATTLE' (1809). TATE GALLERYXI 12. 'A MOUNTAIN STREAM' (about 1810). TATE GALLERYXII 13. 'SCARBOROUGH' (1811). Water-Colour. TATE GALLERYXIII 14. 'SKETCH OF COCHEM ON THE MOSELLE' (about 1831). Water-Colour. W. G. RAWLINSON, Esq.XIV 15. 'CHURCH OF SS. GIOVANNI E PAOLO' (1819). Water-Colour. TATE GALLERYXV 16. 'THE BAY OF BAIÆ'(1823). TATE GALLERYXVI 17. 'VIEW ON THE MOSELLE' (about 1834). Water-Colour. W. G. RAWLINSON, Esq.XVII 18. 'YACHT RACING IN THE SOLENT'—No. 1 (1827). TATE GALLERYXVIII 19. 'SHIPPING AT COWES'—No. 1 (1827). TATE GALLERYXIX 20. 'BETWEEN DECKS' (1827). TATE GALLERYXX 21. 'SKETCH OF AN ITALIAN TOWN' (about 1828). Water Colour. VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUMXXI 22. 'ULYSSES DERIDING POLYPHEMUS' (1829). TATE GALLERYXXII 23. 'THE EVENING STAR' (1829 or after) TATE GALLERYXXIII 24. 'INTERIOR AT PETWORTH' (1830)XXIV 25. 'THE OLD CHAIN PIER, BRIGHTON' (1830). TATE GALLERYXXV 26. 'ROCKY BAY WITH CLASSIC FIGURES' (1829 or after). TATE GALLERYXXVI 27. 'SUNRISE, WITH A BOAT BETWEEN HEADLANDS' (about 1835). TATE GALLERYXXVII 28. 'HASTINGS'(about 1835). TATE GALLERYXXVIII 29. 'THE SALUTE' (1838). Water-Colour. TATE GALLERYXXIX 30. 'ANCIENT ROME, AGRIPPINA LANDING WITH THE ASHES OF GERMANICUS' (1839). NATIONAL GALLERYXXX 31. 'THE ARCH OF CONSTANTINE, ROME' (1840). TATE GALLERYXXXI 32. 'LAKE OF LUCERNE, FROM FLUELEN' (1840 or after). Water Colour. TATE GALLERYXXXII 33. 'THE SNOWSTORM' (1842). TATE GALLERYXXXIII 34. 'PEACE. BURIAL AT SEA OF THE BODY OF SIR DAVID WILKIE' (1842). TATE GALLERYXXXIV 35. 'SAN BENEDETTO, LOOKING TOWARDS FUSINA' (1843). NATIONAL GALLERYXXXV 36. 'THE SEELISBERG, MOONLIGHT' (about 1843). Water-Colour. W. G. RAWLINSON, Esq.XXXVI 37. 'RAIN, STEAM, AND SPEED' (1844). TATE GALLERYXXXVII 38. 'SUNRISE, WITH A SEA MONSTER' (about 1845). TATE GALLERYXXXVIII 39. 'TELL'S CHAPEL, FLUELEN' (1845). Water-Colour. W. G. RAWLINSON, Esq.XXXIX 40. 'QUEEN MAB'S GROTTO' (1846). NATIONAL GALLERYXL 41. 'LAKE WITH DISTANT HEADLAND AND PALACES' (1840 or after). Water-Colour. TATE GALLERYXLI 42. 'LAKE OF BRIENZ' (about 1843). Water-Colour. VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUMXLII 43. 'IN THE VALE D'AOSTA, A PASSING SHOWER' (about 1839). Water-Colour. W. G. RAWLINSON, Esq.XLIII 44. 'SPIETZ ON THE LAKE OF THUN, LOOKING TOWARDS THE BERNESE-OBERLAND' (1842). Water-Colour. W. G. RAWLINSON, Esq.XLIV 45. 'BRIDGE AND TOWER' (about 1835). TATE GALLERYXLV 46. 'SUNRISE, A CASTLE ON A BAY' (1829 or after). TATE GALLERYXLVI 47. 'THE BURNING OF THE SHIPS' (1840 or after). TATE GALLERYXLVII 48. 'VENETIAN FISHING-BOAT'(1839). Water-Colour. TATE GALLERYXLVIII 49. 'A SHIP AGROUND' (1830). TATE GALLERYXLIX 50. 'THE "SUN OF VENICE" GOING TO SEA' (1843). NATIONAL GALLERYL

PART ONE

A MEMORY: TELLS OF A BOY WHO LOVED TURNER'S 'VIEW OF ORVIETO'