Khan Academy Static

Turner_The_Artist_and_His_Work

J.M.W. Turner was both an artist of his time and a radical “modernist,” a practitioner of traditional styles of painting and a precursor of those to come many decades later. He was a robust personality and a sensitive observer of the events that shaped the world in his lifetime. As you learn about Turner and look closely at his work, think about the relationship between biography and practice. Should art be separated from events in the artist’s life or seen objectively? Or do you think a creator’s personality will inevitably influence the work he or she makes?

Learn_to_paint_like_Turner

Have you ever wanted to paint a swirling seascape in oils? Capture the sunset with a palette of watercolours? Draw like a master? Learn the basics of Turner’s typical techniques in this series: tackle the use of line, tone, and colour, and draw copies of masterworks in the same way students would have done in the 19th century.

Visit_Turner_s_Gallery

In 1822, Turner opened a gallery on Queen Anne Street in London in order show his work to its best advantage and promote it to potential buyers, having designed everything from heating and lighting to the arrangement of the paintings himself. Step inside a virtual recreation of Turner’s gallery, where you can see how the artist exhibited a lifetime of work in a single space, plus get a sneak peek into how the gallery was accurately recreated in real life for Mike Leigh’s feature film "Mr. Turner."

Activities

Want to test your knowledge of art? Try these activities first or come back to them after you finish the tutorial.