According to the family of Turner’s friend and patron, Walter Fawkes of Farnley Hall, Turner made this watercolour at Farnley after being asked to draw a Royal Navy ‘ship of the line. The warship depicted is a ‘first rate’ ship with over 110 guns.

Temeraire, by contrast, was a ‘second rate’ ship with go-98, plus lighter guns. Turner’s watercolour emphasises the warship’s size and demonstrates the depth of his knowledge given that the drawing was an act of memory made at a moment’s notice.

Provenance: Trustees of the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery (The Higgins Bedford)

Object description
Type: Easel painting
Location: Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne & Wear
Material: Watercolour on paper
Artist: Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775-1851)
Date: 1818

Image Details
Date: 19 June 2024
Camera body: iPhone Xs
Lens: Wide Camera 26mm ƒ/1.8
Focal Length: 26mm
Aperture: ƒ/1.8
Shutter Speed: 1/33s
ISO: 400
Licensing: Image of a North East Museums asset. This image cannot be licensed.