Synopses & Reviews
J. M. W. Turner is generally acknowledged not only as Britain's greatest painter, but as one of the finest and most original of all landscape artists. The Oxford Companion, the first reference work devoted entirely to this artist, is an authoritative guide to every aspect of his life, art, past and present reception, and the cultural, social, and political context in which he worked. Written by a team of the foremost Turner scholars in the world, the Companion presents the very latest information available in over 760 alphabetical articles that are easy-to-use and enjoyable to read. This one-of-a kind reference includes 32 exquisite color plates, a chronology of Turner's life and times, an extensive bibliography, and a listing of public collections of his works.
Review
"This solid handbook is as densely packed with articles about Turner's art and life as a proper plum pudding is stuffed with raisins. Many of the signed entries are actually essays rather than brief paragraphs, and that is what makes this book useful for more than just quick reference. The center of this work serves up 32 full-color plates reproducing some of Turner's finest watercolors and oils....appropriate for fine arts and large reference collections; however, any collection serving anglophiles and art lovers should also consider adding it."--Booklist
"...this is a remarkable achievement, and will be a major resource for Turner scholars."--Spectator
"...provides a wealth of scholarly information and a substantive guide to the life and work of one of Britain's greatest painters. Daunting in scope and execution, this is recommended for all academic and art libraries."--Library Journal
About the Author
Evelyn Joll is a former Chairman of Agnew's, the art dealers acknowledged for more than a century as the principal dealers in Turner's art. He was a founding member of the editorial board of the journal
Turner Studies, and he was Chairman of the Turner Society from 1994 to 2000. Martin Butlin was an Assistant Keeper at the Tate Gallery, London, becoming Keeper of the Historic British Collection there from 1967 to 1989. He has also assisted in the selection and cataloguing of exhibitions on Turner and Blake. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and in 1990 was created CBE for services to art scholarship. Luke Herrmann is Emeritus Professor of the History of Art, University of Leicester. After a period as Senior Assistant Keeper in the Department of Western Art at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, he moved to the University of Leicester, where he held the Chair of the History of Art from 1973 until his retirement in 1987. From 1981 to 1991 he was on the editorial board of
Turner Studies, and has been honorary editor of The Walpole Society from 1993 to 2000. A Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, he lectures on Turner frequently in Britain and abroad, and is currently honorary Vice-President of the Turner Society.
Table of Contents
Preface
List of contributors
List of plates
Classified list of entries
Abbreviations
Note to the Reader
A-Z entries
Bibliography
Chronology
List of works in public collections
Picture credits