J.M.W. Turner

by Charles Turner, after Alfred, Count D'Orsay
stipple engraving, published 1852
9 7/8 in. x 6 3/4 in. (250 mm x 172 mm) plate size; 15 in. x 11 in. (381 mm x 280 mm) paper size
acquired unknown source, 1973
Reference Collection
NPG D6997

Sitterback to top

Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775-1851), Landscape painter. Sitter associated with 43 portraits, Artist or producer associated with 4 portraits.

Artistsback to top

Alfred, Count D'Orsay (1801-1852), Amateur artist and man of fashion. Artist or producer associated with 267 portraits, Sitter associated with 13 portraits.
Charles Turner (1773-1857), Engraver. Artist or producer associated with 620 portraits, Sitter in 2 portraits.

Subject/Themeback to top

Stipple engraving

Events of 1852back to top

Current affairs

The Peelites, a breakaway group who had supported Peel during the Corn Law reforms, join the Liberals. The Conservative Edward Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, becomes Prime Minister after Lord John Russell's Liberal administration collapses. The administration is short-lived and replaced by a new Liberal-Peelite coalition, under the leadership of former Tory George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen.

Art and science

Start of spiritualism craze in England.
London physician Peter Mark Roget first publishes his thesaurus.
American author Harriet Beecher Stowe publishes the hugely successful anti-slavery novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Scottish physicist William Thomson formulates the second law of thermodynamics, demonstrating that a rapidly expanding gas cools.

International

Independent Boer republics north of the Vaal and Orange rivers are recognised by Britain following the Sand River Convention. Later, the Bloemfontein Convention (1854) formally recognises the independence of Boer republics between the Vaal and Orange rivers, resulting in the Boer Republic of the Orange Free State.
Tension escalates in Crimea as France demands that Turkey end Russia's exclusive control of the Christian Holy Places in the Ottoman empire.

Tell us more back to top

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Dr Selby Whittingham (founder of The Turner Society and The Independent Turner Society)

08 October 2018, 13:12

The drawing for this belonged to Mary Savery (1845-1907; will). It shows Turner in his studio in his 40s, whereas the d'Orsay porrtrait was made some decades later. Whether Charles Turner used the latter for his concoction is not clear?

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