Turner's Watercolors

A few months ago, I wrote about Turner's mesmerizing paintings in the blog post "Turner's Watercolors: Capturing Ether." I talk a little about these mesmerizing qualities in a recent blog post: "Turner's Revenge."

I have posted the full blog post from January 28, 2010, "Turner's Watercolors: Capturing Ether," below.

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Turner's Watercolors
Capturing Ether
Camera Lucida, January 28, 2010

Margate, 1830

I've been looking at Turner's watercolors lately. I love their ethereal quality. It is surprising that a major artist should dedicate so many paintings to watercolor. Near the end of his life, Turner spent his days looking at the sky. Perhaps he was contemplating Heaven through the clouds he loved to observe. He understood their nuances, and I think also understood that watercolors can capture their delicate and fleeting character, perhaps better than oil. Looking at clouds is also looking at light in its many manifestations, whether diffused and subtle as in a grey winter’s day, or bursting with radiance and full of a mysterious glory.

Arth on the Lake of Zug. Early Morning. Ca. 1842–43