'My son, sir, is going to be a painter.' But William Turner, was not expecting his son to become one of Britain's most loved and respected English Romantic artist. Joseph Mallord William Turner grew up in Brentford, a small town that was then by the River Thames, with his uncle Joseph Mallord William Marshall, after a family illness had struck his parents. He began experimenting with art, creating a few simple colourings, that sparked his passion for creation and expression. After moving to Margate, he generated a series of drawings of his new enviroment, which began to be sold in the window of his father's shop. His early works show his development of his independent style, and contrasting his more recent works to these show his struggle with perspective. At the tender age of fourteen, Turner was working under draughtsman Thomas Malton, who is described by Turner as 'my real master'. Turner joined the Royal Acadamy of Art, and continued to focus on architecture, when in 1790 his work 'A View of the Archbishop's Palace, Lambeth' was admitted to be shown in the Royal Academy summer exhibition. This was his first watercolour painting, reflecting the sheer talent that Turner posessed at the age of just fifteen. Building on his skills which were widely sought after, Turner took life-drawing classes, drawing the human form from nude models. He continued to exhibit his work at the Royal Academy exhibition, and began to travel England in search for inspiration, often visiting Wales. He travelled in the summer season, and painted in the winter. Turner's work ranged from simple sketches, to studies, to watercolour paintings. In 1796, 'Fisherman at Sea' was exhibited. This was Turner's first oil painting, but there was no doubt in the public's opinion as Turner received much praise over this piece. The heavy glow of the Fisherman's lamp illuminates the nocturnal scene, in which the Needles, just off the Isle of Wight, linger in the shadows, untouched by the mountainous waves which hammer into the delicate fishing boat. His career soared as he travelled around Europe, painting his surrounding landscapes in a variety of materials. There is a heavy focus on how the landscape is manipulated by the weather, especially storms, which occur throughout his work. The increasing use of light led him to be named 'the painter of light', as he used eccentric and vivid colours in his landscapes and seascapes. Towards the end of his career he had few friends, Turner had taken in his father who lived with him for thirty years until his death in 1829. This unavoidable subject had a heavy impact on his, leading Turner to be diagnosed with bouts of depression. Turner died in his mistresses home, in 1851. His funeral, arranged by the son of his tutor Thomas Hardwick, was attended by many who had respected his work with all their entirety, such as Henry Harper IV, Henry Scott Trimmer and George Jones.
Slumped across the back of the white horse is the body of the last of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Death. Often seen as a triumphant character, this is not the case, as the submissive posture of the largely skeletal form hangs, arm outstrecthed in hope of savouir. The figure emerges from blustering mists, contrasting the fragile corpse-like figure that drapes over the horse's back. The colours used are striking; the red-hot, angry, thunderous sky bellows above the gray stallion, who rears upwards towards destructive clouds. The dream-like mist swallows the subjects, the turbulent fog encroaches upon them. The pale horse and it's dark rider contrasts eachother, the horse represents innocence, whilst the reaper is callous in it's entirety. Such movement is captured within the piece, the viewer is invited to watch the scene unfold before them. The blend of Turner's harsh, wild brush strokes with the menacing colours reflects the feelings of the artist, who at this time was suffering from depression in the wake of his father's death. The unpleasant sight of the skeletal, caped figure is somewhat sublime, as death is simply dying himself, he has inflicted it upon himself. Turner embellishes his work with the fine pencil marks, which seperate the infusion of colours and tone, and to detail his work. Death is wearing a small crown, which to me reflects, however much the viewer hates Death and what he causes, he must be respected in his own way. This small embellishment has a deeper meaning, which is important to Turner after the loss of his father. I generally admire Turner's work as a whole, due to the seemingly effortless brush strokes to create such a harsh and dramatic world. Turner's work is before it's time, as his work is extremely abstract, which was totally unusual at the time he exhibited it. I feel Turner evokes a sense of the Gothic within his work, especially this piece, 'Death on a Pale Horse', one of my favourite pieces by this very talented artist. I wanted to glance at his work to show how the Gothic had influenced him to create his dark and mysterious work, that is eerie and sinister to the spectator.
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Joseph Mallord William Turner
Death On A Pale Horse - c.1825-1830.
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/turner-death-on-a-pale-horse-n05504
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