This being the 250th anniversary of JMW Turner’s death, there are any number of events and exhibitions dedicated to the great man, who was, let’s not forget, one of the great revolutionaries of world art, an Impressionist avant la lettre. Check out in particular the sketchbooks and drawings in a show at the Tate called Cataloguing Turner’s Bequest which is the culmination of the recording of the enormous archive that Turner left to the nation and displays some of the highlights.
But there’s an altogether less showy little exhibition in Twickenham in Turner’s actual house, his summer retreat. It’s a small house, Sandycombe Lodge, one he designed himself with a little help from Sir John Soane, which, according to the PR, makes it Turner’s largest single work. It’s in Twickenham, about five minutes from St Margaret’s station. In his day, it was farmland all around with a nice unimpeded view of all the grand residences like Strawberry Hill, with a nice garden attached. It was where he lived whenever he could, between 1813-1826, with his frugal old father, a barber, before they returned to Maida Vale. It’s nicely proportioned and restored, as much as possible, in the spirit of the original.
From now until 26th October, the upper couple of rooms – Turner’s bedroom and his father’s – have been turned into an exhibition space for 15 of his works in the exhibition, Turner’s Kingdom: Beauty, Birds and Beasts. They’re a curiosity, some of his studies of animals and birds, which isn’t what you’d normally associate with Turner.
The best are watercolours from the ‘Farnley Book of Birds’, an album that Turner painted for his patron, Walter Fawkes of Farnley Hall in Yorkshire. There’s a reflective barn owl, a goldfinch and a turkey, a heron chewing a fish, and a peacock – the latter being a feature of the grounds. Then there are some little watercolour/gouache sketches of cattle on blue paper – common for many artists – which are dashed off, but characterful. There’s a nice, contented cat. And there’s a letter, a sketchbook and Turner’s fishing rod.
Not much, then, in terms of size, but it’s charming… one for Turner fans wanting to see an unexpected aspect to his work in situ and for locals curious about a little museum in a quiet residential street that harkens back to the time when Twickenham was bristling with the country retreats of the great, artists as well as grandees. The house has only been in public ownership since 2017 and deserves support.
Turner’s Kingdom: Beauty, Birds and Beasts until 26th October. Wednesday-Sunday, 12-4pm. Turner’s House, 40 Sandycoombe Rd, St Margarets,
