The famous painter William Turner (1775-1851) favoured landscapes and seascapes, focusing on the effect of light and atmosphere. In some works, he completely detached himself from the representational, letting light and colour dominate the canvas − abstract art, even though this term did not yet exist at Turner's time. Two of his paintings can be seen from 3 November in the special exhibition Turner on Tour at the National Gallery in London. They belonged to the gallery until 1914, when an American entrepreneur bought them. Visitors have until 19 February to admire the paintings in London.
The paintings Harbour of Dieppe: Changement de Domicile and Cologne, the Arrival of a Packet-Boat: Evening − first exhibited in 1825 and 1826 respectively − are captivating in their depiction of glaring sunlight, which bathes the scenes in golden colour and almost dazzles the viewers. Art critics and the public at the time were both shocked and captivated by Turner's novel depiction of sunlight.
