Morning amongst the Coniston Fells
by TURNER, Joseph Mallord William, Oil on canvas, 123 x 90 cm
Turner’s early picture, Morning amongst the Coniston Fells, the result of a tour in the north of England in 1797, shows an original awareness of the drama of nature with its subtle play of early sunlight and dispersing mist. There is no overt religiosity, as in Friedrich’s cross, but Turner also chose the upright format associated with the altarpiece, and added further significance by quoting verses alongside his picture in the Academy catalogue. He never painted a purer landscape, and the forces of nature take the place of human or mythological protagonists.
Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 5 minutes):
Edvard Grieg: Peter Gynt Suite No 1, Op, 46 (‘Morning Mood’)