J.M.W. Turner — The Sunshine Boy

The Shipwreck, 1805
oil on canvas
Turner was one of the greatest maritime painters of all time. His ability to suggest the churning surface action of water astonished his contemporaries. This picture is probably a record of what was in 1805 a current event, a disaster in February that claimed the life of Wordsworth's brother John, the ship's captain.

• Turner Show at the National Gallery : Review