The Mildmay Sea-Piece (Liber Studiorum, part XIII, plate 40)
Medium
Etching only; before first state of four
Dimensions
plate: 7 x 10 3/8 in. (17.8 x 26.4 cm) sheet: 8 5/8 x 11 7/8 in. (21.9 x 30.2 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mary W. Tweed, 1925
Accession Number
29.52.16
Tags
Art Historical Context
In 1812, J.M.W. Turner, visionary British Romantic artist renowned for his luminous seascapes and dramatic landscapes, released "The Mildmay Sea-P" as plate 40 in part XIII of his ambitious *Liber Studiorum*. Published between 1807 and 1819, this collection of 71 etched and mezzotinted plates was Turner's homage to the classical landscape tradition of Claude Lorrain, while showcasing his own innovative genius across categories like "Sea-Piece." Naming the plate after likely patron or collector John Henry Mildmay underscores Turner's engagement with aristocratic supporters who helped fund the e...
About the Artist
Joseph Mallord William Turner · 1775–1851
Joseph Mallord William Turner, born on 23 April 1775 in London's Covent Garden to barber William Turner and Mary Marshall, emerged as a child prodigy amid personal hardships. His mother suffered mental illness and died in Bethlem Hospital in 1804, while his father supported his early sketches by displaying them in his shop. Around age 10, Turner stayed with his uncle Joseph Mallord William Marshal...