Dazzling sunlight fills this view of Heidelberg on the River Rhine. The architecture of the hill top town is veiled in a shimmering golden mist reflected in the river. Groups of figures animate the foreground, which is punctuated with touches of deep red, white and blue. The work appears to be almost a glorious essay in the use of colour, rather than an exercise in topography. It is one of several large views of Heidelberg connected with drawings Turner made on tours to the Rhineland in the 1840s. This is considered to be among his finest late works on paper from about 1846.
Joseph Mallord William Turner (English, 1775 - 1851)
Turner transformed the art of landscape painting in Britain. From detailed topographical studies to expansive, atmospheric vistas his works celebrate the diversity and emotive power of nature. He was born in Covent Garden, the son of a barber, and exhibited his earliest sketches in his father's shop before studying at the Royal Academy Schools. Turner became the youngest ever full member of the Royal Academy in 1802. His experimental use of watercolour and oils achieved stunning effects, attracting contemporary criticism and praise. Turner's admiration of past masters, above all Claude Lorraine, and the numerous sketches made on many tours in Britain and abroad, provided the basis for his 'sublime' land and seascapes.
