Turner Bequest

Turner Bequest
source
Name	Turner Bequest
Artist	J. M. W. Turner
Year	1856
Medium	Oil painting, watercolour, drawing
Movement	Romanticism
Owner	Tate Britain

Turner Bequest. The Turner Bequest is the vast collection of artistic works bequeathed to the British nation by the preeminent Romantic painter J. M. W. Turner upon his death in 1851. The bequest, which was finalized after a protracted legal challenge from his relatives, was accepted by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1856 and initially housed at the National Gallery in London. It forms the cornerstone of the United Kingdom's holdings of Turner's art and represents one of the most significant single-artist bequests in history, offering an unparalleled insight into his working methods and creative vision.

History of the Bequest

Turner died at his home in Chelsea in December 1851, leaving a will that was complex and immediately contentious. His stated intention was to leave his finished paintings to the National Gallery and to establish a charity for "decayed artists," but the document's ambiguities led to a lengthy legal dispute with his distant relatives. The case was ultimately heard in the Court of Chancery, which ruled in favor of the bequest to the nation. After years of litigation, the collection was formally accepted by the British government, with the influential art critic John Ruskin playing a key role as an executor in cataloging the immense quantity of works. The initial display was arranged in a dedicated gallery at the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, before the majority of the collection was later transferred to the Tate Gallery upon its opening.

Contents and Scope

The bequest is astonishing in its breadth, comprising approximately 300 oil paintings and over 30,000 works on paper, including finished watercolour masterpieces, preparatory sketches, and intimate drawings. It encompasses the full sweep of Turner's career, from early topographical works and architectural studies to his revolutionary late compositions like Rain, Steam and Speed – The Great Western Railway. The collection includes iconic works such as The Fighting Temeraire and Dido building Carthage, as well as thousands of pages from his personal sketchbooks, which document his travels across Britain and Europe, including visits to Venice, the Alps, and the River Thames. This comprehensive archive provides an exhaustive record of his artistic process and thematic preoccupations.

Administration and Display

Since 1910, the principal custodian of the bequest has been the Tate Gallery, now specifically Tate Britain, which holds the vast majority of the collection. A selection of the most important finished oil paintings remains on permanent display at the National Gallery under a longstanding loan agreement. The Clore Gallery, an extension to Tate Britain opened in 1987 and funded by the Clore Foundation, was specifically designed to house and exhibit the bequest, providing dedicated galleries and study rooms. Rotating displays from the bequest are also frequently included in major international exhibitions at institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Musée du Louvre, while digital initiatives have made thousands of works accessible online.

Significance and Legacy

The bequest is fundamentally important to the study of British art and Romanticism, securing Turner's legacy as a national figure and providing the definitive resource for scholarship on his work. It influenced generations of artists, from the French Impressionists to the Abstract Expressionists, by revealing the full depth of his experimental techniques and visionary approach to light and colour. The collection's availability has shaped critical interpretation, from the writings of John Ruskin to modern analyses, and has cemented Turner's reputation as a peer of masters like Claude Lorrain and Rembrandt. Its existence ensures that his artistic evolution, from detailed observer to poetic abstractionist, is permanently preserved for public and academic engagement.

Conservation and Research

The preservation of such a large and diverse collection, particularly the fragile works on paper, is an ongoing priority for Tate Britain's conservation department. Specialized teams address issues of paper degradation, watercolour fading, and the stabilization of oil paintings, employing scientific analysis to understand Turner's materials and methods. This research often involves collaboration with institutions like the National Gallery and the Getty Conservation Institute. The bequest also fuels continuous academic study, with the sketchbooks and unfinished works providing critical evidence for understanding Turner's creative decisions, his responses to contemporaries like John Constable, and his engagement with historical events such as the Napoleonic Wars.

Category:Art collections Category:J. M. W. Turner Category:Tate Category:Bequests