turner, rain steam and speed Flashcards
year
1844
medium
oil on canvas
title
‘rain steam and speed- the great western railway’
subject matter
dominant bridge- maidenhead viaduct crossing over thames on newly laid railway line to bristol and Exeter
second bridge- taylors road bridge made of stone
hare on tracks
a skiff is on the river far beneath
a ploghman turns furrow in distance
subject
maidenhead viaduct crossing over thames on newly laid railway line to bristol and Exeter
name of second bridge
second bridge- taylors road bridge made of stone
foundation stone was laid in 1772
who are the figures in the background and what is the effect of their presence
*A hare bounds across the tracks in front of the train, a skiff is on the river far beneath and in the distance a ploughman stoically turns his furrow.
*The graphic fragility of the hare, ploughman and boat recollect the preindustrial human relations to the world - undisruptive and almost passing unnoticed. Possibly also a reminder that one should look more closely at the landscape when social and industrial change is about to overtake it.
impact of hare
-fragility of hare in the feat of the train shows the frailty of nature compared to the dominance of man
composition
Diagonal recession from foreground to a vanishing point at the centre of the picture. Influence of Claude.
Orthogonals of the viaduct appear to rush out towards the viewer.
*The horizontal line of the horizon represents, stability; the diagonal slash of the railway embodies energy, purpose, power.
Much of the painting is taken up by the sky.
, exaggerating the curve of the river and the divergence of the two bridges (which in reality are almost parallel) to strengthen the contrast between the old and the new means of transport
how does this work become metaphysical
*The glow at the front of the train is in the wrong place to be the glow of the firebox,; Turner’s art here becomes metaphysical, allowing us to see right through the structure of the locomotive to the blazing fire behind the boiler which is the heart of its strength.
whats this about
contrast between man and nature (mans dominance over nature and industrialisation)
formal analysis of train
-train diagnal recession from foreground to vanishing point
-steep foreshortening of viaduct shows speed
headlights blazing
-dark colour of viaduct stands outr against the natural scene
-spots of red show transparency of train, slightly
atmosphere obscures everything and only thing with real clarity is the black iron of the chimney making focal point
train
dark colour stands out of natural scenery
transparency shows glow of engine (heart of strength emphasises strength of humanity)
focal point is chimney as everything else is blurred (mans dominance)
contrasts boat showing the evolvement of man
headlights blazing
clear form lost after bridge
diagonal slash shows power
effect of contrast of boat
shows evolvement of man
slower form of transport is boat
hopw do the bridges contrast
*Old stone bridge on the left provides contrast to modern brick bridge.
how can we see power of man
boat vs train
train focal point
we can see the glow of its heart of strength
contrasts stone bidge
diagonal slash and vanishing point
contrast to pastoral scene
how is the sublime shown
sublime of man not nature
uses idea of sublime but applies it to man instead of nature
links reactions of fear of trains in 19th century industrialisation
influence of the idea of the sublime and romanticism
Edmund Burke’s Philosophical Enquiry (1757) connected the sublime with experiences of awe, terror and danger. Burke saw nature as the most sublime object, capable of generating the strongest sensations in its beholders.
This Romantic conception of the sublime proved influential for several generations of artists.
It should be remembered that the first trains provoked reactions of fear and terror amongst the 19th century public. Passengers travelled in open air carriages, exposed to the elements
1840s
period of railway mania
This painting was created at a time when the railway was really starting to criss-cross the British landscape. A brand new way of travelling, and of connecting cities and people to each other
how does ruskin anecdote turners experience on this paricular train
anecdote by Ruskin, Turner’s champion, records the origins of this picture as a train ride during a rain storm, during which the artist is supposed to have stuck his head out of the window. Excited as ever by strong sensations, Turner then replicated this experience in paint.
inspiration
rode this exact train and stuck head out of window of storm and was captivated by the sensation and the amazing creation of mankind
techniques
scraffitto
scumbling
thick impasto
virtuso swirls
‘dirty dabs of putty’
thick paint applied with pallette knife
how is atmosphere created
*The only thing with any real clarity is the black iron of the chimney of the train which is the focal point of the painting; the rest of the train dissolves into paint.
*All linear definition of form is lost, apart from those of the bridge and the engine’s chimney. Turner’s way of suggesting that mechanical, man-made power is dominant.
influence of industrialisation
1840s railway mania, railways starting to criss cross around england and were becoming the post potent symbols of industrialisation
For the first time people were being transported mechanically.
provoked fear and shock- link to sublime
The engine he selected for his painting was the most advanced type of locomotive of the day, known as the “Firefly Class
