Look first
Whalers
Joseph Mallord William Turner · ca. 1845
Whalers by Joseph Mallord William Turner: Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Collection, Wolfe Fund, 1896
What to notice
Search the turbulent sea and vapor for the whale, boats, and ship; Turner subordinates the hunt’s narrative to spray, light, and engulfing motion.
Discover
Turner painted Whalers around 1845 after becoming interested in contemporary accounts of the hunt. Ship, boats, whale, spray, and vapor compete for visibility, subordinating clear narrative to the sea’s engulfing light and motion.
Source institution: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Rights status: Public Domain / The Met Open Access
Rights status: Public Domain / The Met Open Access
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
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