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Tate Britain revamps Turner galleries after paintings return from tour Tate Britain revamps Turner galleries after paintings return from tour
(35 minutes later)
Tate Britain has marked the return of some of its most popular paintings from a tour of north America by rehanging its galleries devoted to JMW Turner.Tate Britain has marked the return of some of its most popular paintings from a tour of north America by rehanging its galleries devoted to JMW Turner.
Paintings such as the dazzling Norham Castle, Sunrise, and the baffling but gorgeous view of Venice, St Benedetto, Looking towards Fusina, have arrived back in London after being part of one of the most successful shows ever staged by the gallery. Paintings such as the dazzling Norham Castle, Sunrise and the baffling but gorgeous view of Venice, St Benedetto, Looking towards Fusina, have arrived back in London after being part of one of the most successful shows ever staged by the gallery.
“We were slightly bereft,” said David Blayney Brown, the gallery’s curator of British art from 1790-1850, who is glad to have them back. “Although it is always wonderful to see things in a different gallery because they come to life in such different ways.” “We were slightly bereft,” said David Blayney Brown, Tate curator of British art from 1790-1850, who is glad to have the works back. “Although it is always wonderful to see things in a different gallery because they come to life in such different ways.”
The returnees were part of the gallery’s Late Turner exhibition which, in late 2014, became the most popular solo show ever held at Tate Britain. It received 267,704 visitors in London and was seen by nearly 500,000 more in a subsequent tour of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Toronto. The returned works were part of the gallery’s Late Turner exhibition which, in late 2014, became the most popular solo show held at Tate Britain. It received 267,704 visitors and was seen by nearly 500,000 more in a subsequent tour of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Toronto.
It has spurred the Tate to rehang the eight rooms of the Clore gallery, the home of Turner’s work in the UK. Having the works back spurred the Tate to rehang the eight rooms of the Clore gallery, the home of Turner’s work in the UK.
Blayney Brown said the gallery felt “completely new”. He added: “I’d like people to feel, if they come in regularly, that everything has been refreshed and looks much sharper and more exciting. We are trying to do a lot in a rather modest way.”Blayney Brown said the gallery felt “completely new”. He added: “I’d like people to feel, if they come in regularly, that everything has been refreshed and looks much sharper and more exciting. We are trying to do a lot in a rather modest way.”
There is a dedicated room showcasing Turner’s British tours, from the Lake District to the West Country to Edinburgh, opposite a room exploring his European travels, including to Germany, Italy and France. Blayney Brown stressed, however: “It was absolutely not a Brexit-related decision.”There is a dedicated room showcasing Turner’s British tours, from the Lake District to the West Country to Edinburgh, opposite a room exploring his European travels, including to Germany, Italy and France. Blayney Brown stressed, however: “It was absolutely not a Brexit-related decision.”
It is in the European room that three Turner views of Venice are displayed together, including St Benedetto, Looking Towards Fusina, which often confuses people because there is no St Benedetto church in the city. Look closely and nothing seems to be in the right place.It is in the European room that three Turner views of Venice are displayed together, including St Benedetto, Looking Towards Fusina, which often confuses people because there is no St Benedetto church in the city. Look closely and nothing seems to be in the right place.
The work – which is “without one single accurate detail”, according to John Ruskin – represents the perfect view of Venice that Turner wanted to exist.The work – which is “without one single accurate detail”, according to John Ruskin – represents the perfect view of Venice that Turner wanted to exist.
Another room showcases the radical late works that were found in his studio after his death, including the luminous c1845 painting of Norham Castle, in Northumberland.Another room showcases the radical late works that were found in his studio after his death, including the luminous c1845 painting of Norham Castle, in Northumberland.
“It is the ultimate late Turner,” said Blayney Brown, with the subject, diffused through blazing light and mist, “dissolving rather than being defined”.“It is the ultimate late Turner,” said Blayney Brown, with the subject, diffused through blazing light and mist, “dissolving rather than being defined”.
The work, which was never exhibited in his lifetime, is seen by some as an impressionist work before the impressionists, and clearly raises intriguing questions. The work, which was never exhibited in the artist’s lifetime, is seen by some as an impressionist work before the impressionists, and clearly raises intriguing questions.
“Is it a work in progress? Or did Turner make it just for himself, considering it too advanced for other people’s taste?” wonders Blayney Brown. “Did he leave it in his studio as a kind of pointer to where art might go? We don’t know.” What is agreed is that in the mid-1840s, “nobody else, anywhere, was painting in this way”. “Is it a work in progress? Or did Turner make it just for himself, considering it too advanced for other people’s taste?” said Blayney Brown. “Did he leave it in his studio as a kind of pointer to where art might go? We don’t know.” What is agreed is that in the mid-1840s, “nobody else, anywhere, was painting in this way”, the curator added.
The 100 works on display are a small sample of the 300 oil paintings and 36,000 drawings and watercolours that make up the Turner Bequest, left to the National Gallery in 1856 and rehoused at Tate at the start of the 20th century.The 100 works on display are a small sample of the 300 oil paintings and 36,000 drawings and watercolours that make up the Turner Bequest, left to the National Gallery in 1856 and rehoused at Tate at the start of the 20th century.
Blayney Brown said the rehanging was modest but radical. “Mainly we just wanted to make the pictures look beautiful and not perhaps labour too many points … just let them speak visually.”Blayney Brown said the rehanging was modest but radical. “Mainly we just wanted to make the pictures look beautiful and not perhaps labour too many points … just let them speak visually.”
The rehanging has also involved repainting walls in the biggest rooms from grey to red, which Turner used in his own picture gallery. The exact colour was described by a friend of Turner, rather vaguely, as “Indian red, neither pale nor dark”.The rehanging has also involved repainting walls in the biggest rooms from grey to red, which Turner used in his own picture gallery. The exact colour was described by a friend of Turner, rather vaguely, as “Indian red, neither pale nor dark”.
In the absence of any pictorial evidence of the colour, Blayney Brown hopes they have got it right. “It is a red you see in India,” he said.In the absence of any pictorial evidence of the colour, Blayney Brown hopes they have got it right. “It is a red you see in India,” he said.