“Moonlight over Lake Lucerne” (1841-44) by William Turner, Romantic painting, limited reproduction

About William Turner (1775-1851): English oil and watercolor painter. He primarily painted landscapes, history paintings, and seascapes. Even at a young age, William Turner achieved the highest level of technical perfection and was appointed to the Royal Academy as one of Britain's most important artists; nine years later, he became a member. Experiments with new techniques and an intensive study of Goethe's Theory of Colours, along with extensive travels, triggered a significant stylistic shift in Turner's work. He boldly abandoned the established rules of pictorial tradition and representational realism, devoting himself intensely to the effects of light and movement. Turner's completely new approach to painting garnered much criticism. However, his precise observation of nature and the fluid light in the paintings of this great Romantic artist paved the way for the Impressionists and the development of modern painting. The majority of his works are housed in the Tate Gallery in London.