11 Keelmen Heaving in Coals by Moonlight – Turner

Painting of moonlit river with ships and people
Joseph Mallord William Turner (British, 1775 – 1851), Keelmen Heaving in Coals by Moonlight, 1835, oil on canvas, Widener Collection 1942.9.86

Joseph Mallord William Turner was quite a painter and quite a character. He’s described as vulgar, uncouth, unsophisticated and cheap. And yet, he became one of England’s most beloved artists through his groundbreaking vision and skill.

We’ll see how his interest in the Industrial Revolution and love of the natural world come together in this dazzling image and take a look at how he created something so gorgeous yet ominous.


show notes

“A Long Look” theme is “Ascension” by Ron Gelinas
youtu.be/jGEdNSNkZoo

Episode theme is “The Hebrides (Fingal’s Cave), Op. 26” by Felix Mendelssohn
https://musopen.org/music/306-the-hebrides-fingals-cave-op-26/

Turner information
https://www.nga.gov/collection/highlights/turner-keelmen-heaving-in-coals-by-moonlight.html

https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.1225.html#overview