Paintings from one of England’s greatest artists, JMW Turner, will go on display in an exhibition celebrating the importance of place.
Three original pieces by the famed painter linked to his many visits to Cumbria and the Lake District National Park will feature in the upcoming Picturing Place exhibition at Tullie, in Carlisle, running between November 7 to January 10.
Turner (1775-1851) is regarded as one of England’s most famous artists and many of his pictures depict well-known Cumbrian locations including the three featured works on paper:
JMW Turner, Windermere, 1821, watercolour. Lakeland Arts.
- ‘Windermere’; 1821, watercolour. Lakeland Arts.
- ‘Queen Mary’s Tower, Carlisle Castle’, about 1797, watercolour and grey wash on paper. Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery
- ‘View of Blencathra’, 1795/6, pencil, ink and wash on paper. Wordsworth Grasmere
The paintings will hang alongside the works of three significant Cumbrian artists who capture the beauty, everyday business and timeless qualities of Carlisle and the wider county of Cumberland.
For William Blacklock, Sam Bough and Thomas Bushby, the city of Carlisle and its neighbouring countryside played a vital role in their development.
Nick Rogers, the curator of Picturing Place, said: “We are very excited to be hosting an exhibition of such national significance here at Tullie. The works of the three artists associated with our locality are something to marvel, and having paintings from the great JMW Turner marking his love of this region is even more special.
“The Lake District is revered the world over for its natural beauty, and intermingling these scenes with the everyday life of urban Carlisle and surrounding towns and villages means that we will have a fascinating mix of landscapes depicted during the exhibition.
“When we think about what place means to us, we all have different emotions and opinions of our surroundings and it’s intriguing to see what Cumbria meant to the artists featured in Picturing Place.”
William Blacklock (1816-1858) was a Victorian landscape painter who moved with his family to the village of Cumwhitton at a very young age and rejected the hustle and bustle of Carlisle in favour of the bleakness and melancholy of the surrounding fells and countryside.
These scenes provided rich artistic nourishment and, along with Blacklock’s loose association with the Pre-Raphaelites, inspired him to develop a crisp, atmospheric style of painting that was praised by JMW Turner himself.
Sam Bough (1822-1878) achieved major success and wealth after he had moved to Scotland, but Carlisle was where it all began. He was born in Abbey Street, a stone’s throw from Tullie, and spent his formative years sketching and painting in the city and outskirts.
Even after he left to find fame and fortune elsewhere, the Cumberland landscape and views of Carlisle were still favoured subjects.
Thomas Bushby (1861-1918), meanwhile, was a Yorkshireman but took employment at Cumbrian firm Hudson Scott & Co at the age of 23 and was the most Carlisle-centric artist of the three.
His watercolours of the city and surrounding areas capture the charm and beauty of everyday life from the late-Victorian era up until the First World War. Some scenes are little changed from Bushby’s time and are easily identifiable for the contemporary visitor, while other pictures are a time capsule of a Carlisle that no longer exists.
Nick said: “Central to the work of all three artists is the notion of place – the unique landscapes of Carlisle and Cumberland that inspired them.
“Although they were working within a similar timeframe, their approaches to capturing what they saw were quite different. They range from the personal and intimate to the grand and sublime, from accurate topographic records to loose artistic interpretations, and from bustling, busy cityscapes to empty, desolate landscapes.
“Although different in temperament, all three artists produced paintings and drawings that are both beautifully observed and brilliantly executed. Their works take the visitor on a journey, starting right in the centre of Carlisle before rippling out to the neighbouring villages and beyond to the Lakes, fells and wild places further afield.”
Nick added: “Picturing Place is a tribute to the richness of Tullie’s own collections, which contain more works by each of the three artists than any other public gallery. The exhibition also features works by artists that influenced Blacklock, Bushby and Bough, including JMW Turner.”
Alongside the exhibition is an exciting programme of events taking inspiration from the artists and their depiction of place, including:
- ‘How do we Picture Place’ – detailed tours with exhibition curator Nick Rogers on November 17 and December 15;
- ‘The Streets of Carlisle’ with local historian Chester Forster and ‘Turner and the Picturesque’ with Dean Hines from Wordsworth Grasmere – an afternoon of talks on November 28;
- ‘The Art of Place: Painting Carlisle, Cumberland and the Lake District’ – a workshop with local artist Martin Evans on December 7.
Tullie, an independent charitable trust, is an award-winning museum, art gallery, community hub and café.
Entry to Picturing Place is included with museum admission. Accompanied children and U18s go free.
For more information and to book tickets, visit www.tullie.org.uk.
