Turner captured the scale and majesty of the gun ship in this small sketch. The floating buoy in the left foreground and the human activity at the right provide spatial markers which lead the eye into the picture. Turner's skill with the pencil achieves just the right balance of description and suggestion. Ships and shipping continued to fascinate him and he never tired of them as subject matter for his work. This is one of four drawings Turner made in 1827 while at East Cowes on the Isle of Wight. His signature at the bottom of each suggests they were made to present to a prospective patron.
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.
