The Fighting Temeraire, William Turner

Turner was seen on board a Margate steamer sketching the passage of the Temeraire upriver to Beatson's ship breaking yard at Rotherhithe on 6 September I838, although what he saw and what he painted are two different things. Thus we know from contemporary newspaper reports that the Temeraire was towed by two tugs, and another observer of the towing later testified that the painter invented the spectacular sunset. The Temeraire glorified for the last time by Turner's brushes, for in reality she is stripped of her masts, sail and rigging, all guns and useful parts are removed by the Admiralty as spares. The ship is to be stripped of its oak wood at the breaker's yard, the copper sold back to the Admiralty for £3000, the breaker having paid around £5500 for the hull.

1775 Born on 23 April (St George's Day) at 21 Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, London. The son of William Turner, a barber & wig maker.

1787 Takes up drawing and painting watercolour for first time, later his father sells then in his shop.

1789-90 Goes to study under Thomas Malton. Admitted to Royal Academy School, (RA) exhibits his first watercolour, The Archbishop's Palace, Lambeth.

1790 Tours the West Country

1793 The Society of Arts Awards Turner the "Greater Silver Pallet", meets and works with life time friend Thomas Girtin: goes to South Wales to draw.

1794 Turner become famous as a topographical draughtsman, producing original pictures for engravings.

1795 Tours southern England and south Wales, and visits Isle of Wight.

1796 Exhibits the first oil painting along with 10 watercolours at the RA.

1799 Studies Claude Lorrain the artist, which has a great effect on his early style. Elected Associate Member of Royal Academy. Moves into Harley Street with Sarah Danby by her has two daughters.

1800 Publishes poetry intended to accompany exhibits at RA.

1801 Tours Scotland, returns via Lake District.

1802 Elected full member of RA at the young age of 27. Travels to France and Switzerland.

1804 Sets up a gallery at his Harley Street home. Death of mother after long illness.

1805 First exhibition in his own gallery, London

1807 Appointed Professor of Perspective at RA, often uses letters after his Name (P.P.) Publishes part 1 of Liber Studiorum. Buys Building plot at Twickenham.

1809 First of many visits to Petworth, the seat of Lord Egremont, one of Turner patron.

1810 Moves to 47 Queen Ann Street West, Summer visit to Farnley Hall

1811 First lecture as professor at Royal Academy. Visits Italy.

1814 Founder member of Artist General Benevolent Institution, supports this for many years.

1815 End of war with France, so able to travel once again in Europe.

1815 Paints 'Dido Building Carthage' refuses five thousand guineas ( a huge sum of money then) never sells this painting, finally bequeathed it to the British Nation on his death.

1817 Summer tour of Netherlands and Rhine, returns and stays at Rady Castle, then on to friend Walter Fawkes at Farnley.

1819 Trip to Italy, the wonderful light here has an amazing effect on Turner's colours. Does around 25 sketches a day during his 2 month stay, two main paintings from this trip 'Looking East from the Guidecca, Sunrise' and 'San Giorgio Maggiore', which must be adjudged as masterpieces.

1820 Moves his gallery to Queen Ann Street after working to enlarge and build new gallery.

1822 Goes to Edinburgh for the State Visit of George 1V.

1823 Commissioned to paint The Battle of Trafalgar for St James's Palace; this completed by May 1824.

1824 The National Gallery was established, and Turner was on the committee to decide where to house it- The National Gallery Trafalgar Square, London being the chosen place.

1825 Toured Holland, the Rhine, and Belgium. Death of true friend Walter Fawkes on October 25th.

1828 Takes his last class at the RA, ( they were not very successful anyway, sometimes his loyal father was the total audience).

1825 Tour of Holland, Germany and Belgium. Death of friend Walter Falkes.

1829 Death of father. Exhibits England and Wales series of watercolours in London. Visits France.

1831 Tour of Scotland. Revises his Will as he's in poor health during the year.

1832 Visits Paris, meets with artist Delacroix.

1834 Tours Meuse, Moselle and the Rhine.Spend time with Sophia Booth at Margate.

1836 Tours France, Switzerland and Val d'Aosta

1837 Death of patron Lord Egremond. Resigns as Professor of Perspective at the RA

1839 Paints The Fighting Temeraire age 64.

1840 He met the critic and artist John Ruskin, who became the great champion of his work. Visits Venice

1841 Visits Switzerland for the first of three visits over the next three years.

1844 Meets Charles Dickens. Visits Switzerland, Heidelberg, and the Rhine.

1845 Acting President of Royal Academy, Tours France

1846 Rents lodgings at Cheyne Walk, Chelsea and lives rest of his life as a recluse under pseudonym of Admiral Booth.

1848 Increasing Infirmity. Revises his Will.

1850 Last exhibition at the Royal Academy.

1851 December 19, Turner dies in Chelsea home. Buried in St Paul's Cathedral. Bequeaths 19,000 works to Nation.

Turner first painted this ship of the line in 1808 in his picture The Battle of Trafalgar where he described her as to be seen over the shattered stern of the French ship Redoutable, Admiral Harvey engaged with the Fogieux, and part of the French line. The Temeraire has become a symbol of naval heroism. She was the second ship in the line of battle at Trafalgar. When she tried to pass the Victory to take on herself the fire directed at Nelson's ship, Nelson ordered her to keep astern. She held back, receiving the enemy's fire without returning a shot, then later in battle goes to the flag ship rescue, incurring much damage in doing so. To quote Ruskin, "Two hours later, she lay with a French seventy four gun ship on each side of her, both her prizes, one lashed to her mainmast, and one to her anchor.
Ruskin then concludes his account of Turner's Fighting Temeraire with one of the most beautiful paragraphs in English prose. "We have stern keepers to trust her glory to-the fire and the worm. Never more shall sunset lay golden robes on her, nor starlight tremble on the waves that part at her gliding. Perhaps, where the low gate opens to some cottage-garden, the tired traveller may ask, idly, why the moss grows so green on its rugged wood; and even the sailor's child may not answer, nor know, that the night-dew lies deep in the war-rents of the wood of the old Temeraire.

William Makepeace Thackeray's admired point of view. "The little demon of a steamer is belching out a volume . . . of foul, lurid, red-hot, malignant smoke . . . while behind it (a cold gray moon looking down on it), slow, sad, and majestic, follows the brave old ship, with death, as it were, written on her." Such sentimentality was not in Turner's nature. If we look at his painting dispassionately, we can see that he wished to focus our awareness on the tug. Turner has given the proud steamer lines of grace and beauty, as she slides through the still river like a black swan, towing the dim hulk of the warship. The calm of sunset suggest to the spectator a mood of tranquil melancholy, but it also suggests the end of an era.