Durham
About this artwork
In this view of Durham, seen from the Prebends’ bridge, Turner has drawn inspiration from the work of the great landscape painter Claude Lorrain (About 1604-1682). The golden light and setting sun, as well as the composition, in which the city is carefully ‘framed’ by trees and a parapet, all refer to the precedent of Claude. Turner has turned the Cathedral forty-five degrees from its true position so that it faces the viewer more emphatically. Durham was engraved in 1836 and published in the Picturesque Views in England and Wales print series.
Updated before 2020
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artist:Joseph Mallord William TurnerEnglish (1775 - 1851)
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title:Durham
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date created:About 1830 - 1835
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materials:Watercolour and gouache, with gum and scraping out on paper
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measurements:29.50 x 44.00 cm
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object type:
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credit line:Henry Vaughan Bequest 1900
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accession number:D NG 883
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gallery:
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subject:
Joseph Mallord William Turner
Joseph Mallord William Turner
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...