Turner's watercolors brighten up January

A popular art exhibition that has been held annually since 1901 returns: The National Galleries of Scotland: National in Edinburgh is presenting 38 watercolors by William Turner (1775-1851). The works come from the collection of Henry Vaughan (1809-1899), who divided his more than 200 watercolors by Turner between the National Galleries in Dublin, Edinburgh, and London. As stipulated in his will, the watercolors may only be exhibited in January. In his watercolors and drawings, Turner experimented with revolutionary ideas about painting, which he then transferred to his paintings. The watercolors on display here illustrate Turner's interest in color relationships and structures as a representation of a seen landscape. The exhibits include Heidelberg (ca. 1846), Melrose (1831-1832), and Durham (ca. 1835). The exhibition Turner in January will be on view from January 1 to 31, 2026. This year, the watercolors owned by Scotland are once again on display in Edinburgh. For January 2025, the 31 Irish and 38 Scottish works were exchanged on a one-off basis.

Henry Vaughan, the son of a wealthy hat maker, was one of the most famous British collectors of the 19th century. His collection mainly comprised medieval stained glass and drawings by famous artists, some of which are now in the British Museum in London. Vaughan once owned the painting The Hay Wain (1821) by John Constable. In 1886, he donated it to the National Gallery in London. It is believed that Vaughan met Turner in person during the 1840s. He collected drawings and watercolors by the painter from all phases of his career, which is why his collection plays an important role in the reception of Turner's work.