Every January for over 100 years, the National Gallery of Scotland has shown 38 watercolours by Joseph Mallord William Turner, free to the public in a dimly-lit room without windows. It’s a highlight for many, locals and visitors included. For many it’s a New Year treat or, in my case, a
birthday tradition. If you are lucky enough to go when it is quiet, it is a truly rare meditative and relaxing experience within a public space.
This year, a sudden lockdown has meant that this exhibition was not possible in person due to Covid, even though the exhibition space was all set for public viewing as is tradition. However, the gallery has brought the exhibition online so that the public can still view the works, making this still the longest-running single-artist exhibition in the world.
Henry Vaughan Collection
The collection was bequeathed to the nation in 1901 by well-travelled Victorian art collector Henry Vaughan after his death in 1899. He was a champion of art education as well as forward-thinking. At his request, the watercolours can only be displayed in January, when daylight is at its weakest. The exhibition must be free and not shown at any other time, except by special request to view them from a purpose-built cabinet. He also gifted some of the collection to the National Gallery of Ireland with the same rules. Henry knew that JMW Turner was well-known in Scotland and Ireland but also knew that there were not many of his works in those public collections. JMW Turner himself left his entire private collection to the Tate Gallery in London after his death in 1851.
JMW Turner in Scotland
Although only 5 of the 38 artworks in the Vaughan Collection are of Scotland scenes, JMW Turner made several artworks from his travels in Scotland. The artist was inspired on location to create contemporary landscapes in his distinctive style (controversial for the time). He went to great lengths to capture the romantic nature of landscapes and the elemental moods of the weather. Scotland provided plenty such challenges.
He began travelling to Scotland in the 1790s and visited at least six times from 1797 – 1834. In 1797, he visited Kelso, Jedburgh and Melrose whilst on a trip to Northumberland.
In 1801 he went on an extended tour of Scotland made 30 sketches of his travel on the turnpike road between Moffat and Gretna.
In 1818 he was invited to illustrate ‘Provincial Antiquities and Picturesque Scenery of Scotland’, a serial publishing project led by writer Sir Walter Scott. For this, he travelled to Scotland in 1818 and produced 10 watercolours including ‘Edinburgh from Calton Hill’ and ‘Heriot’s Hospital, Edinburgh’. It was published in ten parts between 1819 and 1826, but it was cut short due to a lack of commercial success.
In 1822, 1831 and 1834 he illustrated some more works for Scott and they became friends.
Between 1830 and 1839 he produced illustrations for Scott and other Scottish authors, including poet Thomas Campbell and Lord Byron.
Edinburgh
Turner usually based himself in Edinburgh whilst planning his tours of Scotland. There are two locations in Edinburgh that you can still visit today. Here are two views from Calton Hill.
Here is a view of George Heriot’s Hospital in Edinburgh is now George Heriot’s School and you can just make it out in the background of this view from West Bow (where Victoria Street meets Grassmarket). Heriot’s is thought to be the inspiration for Hogwart’s School and Victoria Street for Diagon Alley in JK Rowling’s Harry Potter books.
Abbotsford House, Melrose
JMW Turner stayed here at the house of Sir Walter Scott in August 1831. He owned 8 of Turner’s watercolours for the 1818 publication which were hung in the breakfast room at Abbotsford House. Although no longer hung there, there are two small watercolours by JMW Turner in the Abbotsford collection.
Skye
In 1831 JMW Turner risked his life to get a good viewpoint for his sketch of Loch Curuisk (Isle of Skye) to illustrate an edition of Sir Walter Scott’s poem Lord of the Isles.
Legend has it that a kelpie lives in this loch, situated south of the Cuillins. Turner possibly entered Loch Coruisk from Elgol by Scavaig River leading to Loch Scavaig sea loch to the south. He would have hiked Sgurr na Stri to the east of the loch to get a view looking north west along Loch Coruisk. He fell, almost killing himself, trying to get the best view, possibly attempting the ‘bad step’ which still exists:
Staffa
Another Lord of the Isles project was a similarly treacherous visit to the Isle of Staffa. Following a rough crossing in the steamer The Maid of Morven, he struggled across wet rocks to Fingal’s cave for a better viewpoint.
The Falls of Clyde
One of Scotland’s natural attractions, the impressive Falls of Clyde is still worth a visit today. Take the walk outlined here and visit UNESCO World Heritage Site New Lanark along the way.
Find other JMW Turner artworks kept in Scotland here
View the whole NGS collection at https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/collections/vaughan-bequest
Turner’s own collection of his works was gifted to the Tate in his will and most of his works can be found here or viewed online here at the Tate Gallery.
