How J. M. W. Turner revolutionized the art market through printmaking
In short: Before he was a master of oil seascapes, Turner was a pragmatic apprentice. By mastering the technology of printmaking, he tapped into a burgeoning commercial market, proving that high-quality art could reach far beyond the elite collectors of traditional oil paintings.
Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775–1851) was a transformative figure whose career coincided with a series of overlapping revolutions: industrial, social, technological, and commercial. While he is celebrated for his dramatic oil seascapes—a style that earned him election as a Royal Academician in 1802—his early career was rooted in the practical world of topographic publications. During the 1790s, Turner worked his apprenticeship creating prints for these growing publications, eventually producing works for the Oxford University Almanack that featured significant college buildings. His early work focused on topographical views and historical subjects. He also explored scenes from his own imagination.
Turner was an early adopter of the idea that art demand was not restricted to the wealthy elite who commissioned expensive oil paintings or watercolours. He recognized the commercial potential of prints, which allowed his work to reach a much wider audience. This realization proved mutually beneficial for the artist and the publishing industry; publishers found that including Turner's prints significantly boosted their sales, while the artist's own income grew as a result.
The sheer scale of his output was immense. It is estimated that around 820 prints were created during his lifetime, with many more appearing later through various editions and changes of state. His ability to combine art and craft with emerging technologies and commerce helped elevate the status of landscape painting, making him a central figure in the evolving nineteenth-century art market. This vast collection of prints is now being digitally catalogued to replace older text-based versions. Modern technology allows for direct visual comparisons using high-resolution scans.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: J. M. W. Turner - Turner and America - Part 5 of 5
- Also: J.M.W. Turner's Prints
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