Storms, Sunlight, and Banknotes: Turner’s 250th Birthday Paints the UK Anew
Few artists can claim both a festival and a banknote, but J.M.W. Turner’s 250th birthday is inspiring a nationwide celebration that stretches far beyond museum walls. Over 30 exhibitions and events will sweep through cities like London, Edinburgh, and Liverpool, spotlighting Turner’s bold brushwork and the dramatic landscapes that reimagined British art.
Tate Britain’s headline show, opening in November, dives into the creative rivalry between Turner and John Constable—a duel of skies and storms that shaped a generation. Meanwhile, a digital treasure trove of Turner’s 37,500 sketches and watercolors will debut online, inviting new eyes to explore his restless vision.
From international showcases to fresh scholarship and a BBC documentary, Turner’s legacy is being re-examined, reframed, and celebrated on a scale as sweeping as his seascapes. Even two centuries on, Turner’s light keeps breaking through the clouds of British culture.
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