A series of letters published in the Guardian has cast new light on the personal life of the great British painter JMW Turner and revealed a fascinating anecdote involving another artistic giant, Francis Bacon. The correspondence, responding to articles on the Turner and Constable: Rivals and Originals exhibition at Tate Britain in London, delves into family history and unexpected artistic preferences.
Re-examining the Struggles of Turner's Mother
Responding to a reader's query about the mental health of Turner's mother, Mary, Dr Selby Whittingham offers a nuanced view. He argues that any illness she may have suffered would have been exacerbated by profound frustration with her circumstances. She lived in what he describes as "mean lodging in Covent Garden," a situation her husband showed little ambition to improve.
This contrasted sharply with her comfortable upbringing in Islington and the more prosperous lives of her relatives. Dr Whittingham, Secretary of the Independent Turner Society, has detailed these family connections in several publications. He also notes that a young Turner was sent to stay with his uncle in Brentford to escape the difficult home environment, a move that paralleled Beethoven's early life and helped Turner forge lasting cultured friendships.
Francis Bacon's Surprising Verdict on Turner and Constable
In a separate letter, Paul Collins recounts a memorable 1969 encounter with Francis Bacon at a health hydro in Surrey. Bacon, claiming to be there to "dry out" on his agent's orders, displayed an unaffected friendliness. Collins drove the painter in his Mini to see the Turner collection at Petworth House, which was also hosting a William Blake exhibition.
Bacon's reactions were revealing. He was dismissive of Blake's art, though he admired his poetry. More surprisingly, he showed little enthusiasm for the Petworth Turners, which he was seeing for the first time. His verdict was clear: "I prefer Constable." The following day, Bacon reportedly went to Guildford alone for a glass of burgundy.
Constable's Hidden Depths and Critical Acclaim
Other correspondents championed John Constable's work. Martin Argles welcomed the recognition that Constable's art is more than mere "chocolate box decoration." He urged readers to study Constable's 'Dedham Vale' at the National Galleries of Scotland, pointing out a detail often missed: concealed in the landscape is a tiny, wretched hut with an old woman in red cradling a baby, a poignant allusion to rural poverty during the Enclosure Acts.
Finally, John Caperon praised the Guardian's recent art criticism, specifically Jonathan Jones's "superb pieces" on Caravaggio and on the rivalry between Constable and Turner, marking a welcome appreciation for insightful art commentary.
