Joseph Mallord William Turner

 

Joseph Mallord William Turner

"The Slave Ship"

Oil on canvas

2' 11 11/16" x 4' 5/16"

1840

Biography:

Joseph Mallord William Turner was born April 23, 1775. He was an English romantic landscape painter. He also worked a little with "Watercolorist and printmaking." He was involved with the "Romanticism Movement." Because of illness in his family, he was sent to live with his uncle, "Joseph Marshall." He traveled to Europe and gained support from his work from "Walter Ramsden Fawkes." He didn't have many friends and spent most fo his time with his father, but he took it very hard when his father passed away. He never was married but is said to of been involved with a widowed woman named, "Sarah Danby." He died on December 19, 1851.

Artist's Statement:

"The essence of Turner's innovative style is the emotive power of color. He released color from any defining outlines to express both the forces of nature and the painter's emotional response to them."

(Fred S. Kleiner, 2010, P.627)

Background Information:

He was inspired to paint, "Slave Ship," after reading a book about the history of the slave trade and how they wanted to abolish it. He wrote a poem that goes along with this painting. He used this painting in a political way, much like Jacques-Louis David also did. He used this painting to get his points and feelings about slavery across to britain. He wanted Britain to make more of an effort in the anti slavery effort. It is said that this painting could be part of the reason that the British empire passed the 1843 law, which promised to "suppress" slavery. 

Connection:

This connects to the theme, because of the oppression of the slaves and the trials they faced. A life of slavery could very well lead to a life of beatings, torture, despair and death. The way he used the colors of the Red sunset and an un calm sea, his style is very innovative and the immense amounts of color he used really makes you pay attention. You don't always have to use dark colors to get a darker theme across and I feel he showed that. His painting was more than an artistic piece, like many of the other artists in this show it reflected a piece of "History."