Turner: Art & Ideas

'This lively, prolifically illustrated survey illuminates the career of Britain's greatest artist in a host of ways. Deftly sketching in the political, social and artistic background to his career, Venning notes how Turner's humble origins made him far more receptive to radicalism than the country gentleman, Constable. Thackeray was telling the truth when he wrote of 'Rain, Steam and Speed': "the world has never seen anything like this picture." Mark Rothko acknowledged his debt in a joke: "This man Turner, he learnt a lot from me." Christopher Hirst, Independent on Saturday magazine 21 June 2003 UK ' - accessible and engagingly written but with sufficient room to explore topics in some depth - Venning conveys very well indeed the visual curiosity and intellectual fizz with now associate with the artist. - a successful and rounded account. - The general reader, approaching Turner for the first time, will find here a lucid and persuasive narrative that renders comprehensible Turner's sometimes bewildering achievement. Students and Turner scholars alike can likewise turn to Venning's book not merely for its intelligent survey of Turner, but also for its fresh insights into the British art world in which he made his career, as well as valuable comments on the political and cultural context for his paintings and his posthumous reputation. The book also has the enormous merit of providing all its readers with an emphatic demonstration of why Turner matters and why new generations of artists scholars, and art lovers are impelled to return to his art.' Sam Smiles, Turner Society Newsletter, December 2003 UK

Barry Venning is Associate Lecturer in Art History at the Open University. He has written and lectured extensively on Turner, and his articles have appeared in Burlington Magazine, Art History and Turner Studies.