Long Ship’s Lighthouse, Land’s End
about 1834-1835
Turner throws us right into the middle of a violent Cornish storm, where the sea is churning with dark blues and frothy whites. In the foreground, the broken timbers of a shipwreck float helplessly, while a tiny sailboat battles the massive waves in the distance. To the right, a swarm of birds spirals up a rocky cliff face, adding to the sense of chaotic motion. This loose, energetic style is classic Romanticism, capturing the 'sublime' terror of nature. Legend has it Turner once tied himself to a ship's mast during a storm just to experience this kind of fury firsthand!
- Technique
- Oil paint
Location: Tate Britain, London
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