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Young Mr. Turner: The First Forty Years, 1775–1815 (J.M.W. Turner: A Life in Art) Hardcover – May 10, 2016

by Eric Shanes (Author)

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A definitive new biography, deftly interweaving an account of Turner’s early life with profound scholarly and aesthetic appreciation of his work

A complex figure, and divisive during his lifetime, Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775–1851) has long been considered Britain’s greatest painter. An artist of phenomenal invention, complexity, and industry, Turner is now one of the world’s most popular painters. This comprehensive new account of his early life draws together recent scholarship, corrects errors in the existing literature, and presents a wealth of new findings. In doing so, it furnishes a more detailed understanding than ever before of the connections between Turner’s life and art.

Taking a strictly chronological approach, Eric Shanes addresses Turner’s intellectual complexity and depth, his technical virtuosity, his personal contradictions, and his intricate social and cultural relations. Shanes draws on decades of familiarity with his subject, as well as newly discovered source material, such as the artist’s principal bank records, which shed significant light on his patronage and sales. The result, written in a warm, engaging style, is a comprehensive and magnificently illustrated volume which will fundamentally shape the future of Turner studies.

Print length

552 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Paul Mellon Centre BA
Publication date

May 10, 2016
Dimensions

11.5 x 10.1 x 1.6 inches
ISBN-10

0300140657
ISBN-13

978-0300140651
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Eric Shane’s remarkable book about the first half of J. M. W. Turner career is the summation of thirty years of research into the painter’s work… I have never seen a more thoroughly presented book about an English artist.”—Tim Hilton, Literary Review

(Tim Hilton Literary Review 2016-04-01)

“May well be the definitive biography on the great British landscape and maritime artist.”—Jack Watkins, Mayfair

(Jack Watkins Mayfair 2016-06-01)

“Mesmerizing across all its 552 pages . . . engaging and convincing . . . the fine-grained chapters, some devoted to spans of only a few months, offer novelistic depth . . . The great attraction of the book is Shanes’s penetration of Turner’s artistic thought.”—Christopher Lyon, Bookforum

(Christopher Lyon Bookforum)

“This dazzling, sumptuously illustrated book brings fresh insight into Turner’s early career, and is bound to become the definitive biography of our greatest painter.”—Rebecca Wallensteiner, The Lady

(Rebecca Wallensteiner The Lady 2016-06-01)

'Yale University Press has spared no expense in producing, for Shanes, a lushly illustrated volume, gleaming and glossy, so boastful a block of a book that it is almost too heavy to hold.’ - Frances Wilson, New Statesman

(Frances Wilson New Statesman 2016-07-15)

'A dazzling account of the artist's first 40 years puts all previous biographies in the shade' - John Carey, The Sunday Times

(John Carey The Sunday Times 2016-04-17)

“Eric Shanes has been working on Turner for almost forty years… he has now published the first volume of a spectacular biography. The glory of this study lies in its 450 illustrations, mostly in colour. The diversity and beauty of these pictures is startling. This is a story that emerges most compellingly through a series of images rather than words.”—Dinah Birch, TLS

(Dinah Birch TLS 2016-10-20)

“Young Mr. Turner is an impressively scholarly and beautifully illustrated overview of the painter’s early career… the fruit of thirty years study, and it shows.”—Michael Prodger, Sunday Times

(Michael Prodger Sunday Times 2016-11-27)

“A forty-year artistic journey which excellently tracks and records the many small steps along the way… This is an affectionate, clear and well-written account of the first half of Turner's career, beautifully illustrated. If the second volume is as good as this one, these two books will be the benchmark for Turner studies for many years to come.”— Mark Jones, Albion, March 2017

(Mark Jones Albion 2017-03-01)

Book Description

This comprehensive new biography supersedes much of the existing literature on Turner and will be the standard reference on both his life and work for many years to come.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Paul Mellon Centre BA; 1st edition (May 10, 2016)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 552 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0300140657
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0300140651
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6.34 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 11.5 x 10.1 x 1.6 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,625,392 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2,388 in Individual Artist Monographs
- #3,506 in Artist & Architect Biographies
- #3,621 in Historical British Biographies

Customer Reviews:
20 ratings

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3 star		7%
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Top reviews from the United States

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Y. Teperman

A wonderful book

Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2021

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This wonderful book covers first half of Turner's life. When the second volume covering his latter works is published, I can then safely sell all of the other books on Turner's art that I own, still knowing that I own the very best book on Turner and his art.

Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2021

Verified Purchase

Anyone who loves the work of Turner would love this book

Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2017

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Great!

One person found this helpful

Helpful

H. R. Uhlherr

Three Stars

Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2016

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Book spoilt by faulty binding (unacceptable for cost) even for replacement, contents interesting.

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Eric Shanes

"The essential reference for centuries to come"; some reviews of my book

Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2016

The following extracts are taken from reviews of my book:

‘This is a truly remarkable book . . . Shanes’s style is personal, relaxed, homely and often humorous, which makes the book very readable . . . [its] great length . . . is entirely justified; there is very little spare fat . . . All of the picture analyses are informative, and many are quite brilliant. Most importantly of all, they draw on Shanes’s thorough scrutiny of their context in the artist’s life and thought . . . If any biography can be called definitive, this is one, and it will be the essential reference for the Turner public for many decades (even centuries) to come.’
Dr John Gage, independent report to the publisher

‘This is a notable achievement . . . it provides the most rounded biography of Turner we are ever likely to have . . . [it is] unlikely to be surpassed . . . [that] the artist emerges as a considerable thinker is better revealed here than in any other study I have read . . . I was greatly heartened by Shanes’s ability to work so effectively with Turner’s drafts for the perspective lectures and to outline Turner’s aesthetic position so vividly, both with respect to the practicalities of painting and to the history of art. Although Turner scholars have made use of this material for many years, this is the most able presentation of it in toto we have had . . . [the book is] almost always more than a simple narrative. Much of what we read is shown to be an aspect of a much more valuable prize, the artist seen in the round for the first time. Each detail works rather like a small cog nudging forward our understanding of Turner’s mind.’
Professor Sam Smiles, independent report to the publisher

‘The chronology and narrative are wonderfully useful and clear. I learned thousands of new things about his life and work, with real joy; it will be the standard biography for ever.’
Dr Jan Piggott, independent report to the author

‘Eric Shanes’s remarkable book about the first half of J M W Turner’s career is the summation of thirty years of research into the painter’s work ... He offers a chronological narrative of Turner’s early life, sometimes proceeding week by week. Along the way, he traces Turner’s travels, homes, beloved fishing boats and exhibitions. Hundreds of paintings, watercolours and prints – many in colour – appear in tidy order alongside his text. His publishers (who have been aided by the Paul Mellon Centre for British Art) must be congratulated for the care they have shown. I have never seen a more thoroughly presented book about an English artist ... Admirable.’
The Literary Review

‘[This] dazzling account of the artist’s first 40 years puts all previous biographies in the shade ... Reading Eric Shanes’s new book is like walking through a magically well-stocked gallery with an unsurpassably expert guide. The illustrations are gorgeous – more than 400 of them, nearly all in colour – and they bring together paintings now scattered in galleries and private collections around the world. Shanes’s account of the painter’s life is arranged as a picture-by-picture commentary, and his deep, precise knowledge puts all previous Turner biographies in the shade ... Turner’s life barely existed apart from his painting, Shanes observes. Yet he has uncovered quite a lot, much of it to Turner’s discredit ... Shanes conjectures that [Turner’s] verbal mental circuits might have been imperfectly wired so that they formed colours, tones and lines rather than words. If so, it must be one of the luckiest pieces of imperfect wiring ever to befall the world of art. This first volume ends with Turner at 40. The riches still to come in the second should make any reader giddy with anticipation.’
John Carey, The [London] Sunday Times

8 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Roger

An essential addition to the literature on Britain's greatest Painter.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 21, 2017

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The Author Eric Shanes has recently died which is a pity because this excellent work covers only the first forty years of Turner's life. In his Obituary in The Times newspaper, it is stated that "Young Mr Turner,the first forty years 1775-1815 defies those who thought there was nothing new to say about one of Britain's greatest painters". True enough but thankfully this is only a first volume and it is expected that more material will be published posthumously..This is a great book of reference and a "must" for everyone interested in the vast breadth of Turner's incredible output.Although detailed the narrative is well written and instantly digestible. The scores of illustrations are well chosen and beautifully printed .I thoroughly recommend it.

4 people found this helpful

Carole Blake

Highly recommended

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 6, 2016

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I was trying not to buy this for some time because I have many other books on Turner but once I gave in I wasn't disappointed - surely this is now the definitive volume on his early years. Highly readable, and a beautifully produced book. Fabulously and heavily illustrated. Highly recommended. Now longing for the next volume!

6 people found this helpful

Mrs JC

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 27, 2016

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A beautiful book - exceptional.

5 people found this helpful

Frederick (Madrid)

Minutiously researched, fascinating read, lavishly illustrated.

Reviewed in Spain on September 16, 2018

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Beautifully illustrated, extremely well researched.

Frederick Collins

One of the worlds great artists!

Reviewed in Canada on November 12, 2018

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I am a very great fan of Mr Turner!!

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Young Mr. Turner: The First Forty Years, 1775–1815 (J.M.W. Turner: A Life in Art) Hardcover – May 10, 2016

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