{"product_id":"fuerte-vimieux-joseph-mallord-william-turner","title":"Fort Vimieux","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Vividly natural and effective. It can hardly be too admired.\"\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;T\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003ehese words of\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLa Belle Assemblee\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003ereflect the enthusiasm this magnificent painting received when it was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1831. Turner had always shown an instinctive understanding of the sea, and\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFort Vimieux\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003ewith its bright colors, which are typical of his work. after his first two trips to Italy, he remembers masterpieces such as\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Fighting Temeraire\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e(National Gallery) completed seven years later.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eIn fact, it is interesting to note that\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFort Vimieux\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cspan\u003elater belonged to the noted American collector James Lenox, the first American owner of any Turner work, who had tried unsuccessfully to persuade the artist to sell him Fighting\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003ereckless\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eby\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eany price you could name.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhen it was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1831,\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFort Vimieux\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003edid not have a specific title in the catalogue, but was accompanied by a lengthy quote:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"In this arduous (Reconnaissance) service on the French coast in 1805, one of our cruisers landed and had to endure the attack of the Flying Artillery along the coast, the Batteries and the Fort of Vimieux who fired hot shot, until he could get away with the rising tide that set in with all the appearance of a stormy night.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTurner is referring to an action off Vimereux (now called Wimereux), just off the coast of Boulogne.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eDuring 1804 and 1805 Napoleon had assembled a formidable invasion flotilla which, by July 1805, consisted of 1,337 armed and 154 unarmed ships.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eThese consisted of six large divisions, and the fourth, commanded by Captain Daugier, held the port of Vimereux.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eDuring this period, the British fleet was involved in numerous small actions, as attempts were made to tempt French ships into venturing beyond the range of the batteries along the coast.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eOne such action near Vimereux, on the 18th\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan\u003eof\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eJuly 1805, involved a squadron that included the\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eimmortality\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e, to the\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHebe\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eand to\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eArab\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cspan\u003e.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eIn 1829 Turner sketched the shoreline and fort in a pen and ink study shown on p.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e17 of the CCLX sketchbook in Turner's bequest, where 'Vimereux' is clearly inscribed (see fig.1).\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eIt was probably there that he was gathering material for his ambitious plan to illustrate the landscape of the \"Great Rivers of Europe\" (a project that was eventually limited to French rivers).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe noble ship is represented by Turner lying on his side after running aground off the coast.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eIt has been well secured by two anchors, one in the foreground and one on the distant beach to the right.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eThe sea is calm, and the bright red setting sun illuminates the sky, the sea and the wet sand with a fierce flame.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eThe ship is in a very precarious position, being fired on both from the fort in the distance and from the shore batteries where the view is taken from.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eTwo shots from the latter have come up short and can be seen in close-up, while another shot from the distant fort has struck the ship on her port side.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eGunshot smoke can be seen over the horizon.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eOn the promontory to the left, the figures have gathered to watch the incident.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eThe situation has been desperate, but the worst is over because the light will soon go out.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe success of\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFort Vimieux\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eit is the result of Turner's lifelong understanding of the sea.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eHe was born within sight and sound of the River Thames, and as a boy of eleven, was sent to stay on the Margate shoreline.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eHis love of the sea at Margate would remain with him throughout his life, and he continued to paint there until his death.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eHis first exhibited oil painting was a marine subject,\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003efishermen in the sea\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e(Tate Gallery), the first engraving after one of his paintings was a marine subject,\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHe\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eshipwreck\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eand his first major commission for a painting was\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Bridgewater Mariner.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cspan\u003e(private collection), one of his largest early marine compositions.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eHe was a keen sailor and keen fisherman, and his sketchbooks contain numerous examples of his fascination with the sea.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eHis personal experiences of the dangers of the sea certainly helped sharpen his observation: a famous early example was in 1802 when he visited France and while landing at Calais his ship nearly flooded.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eAlthough the famous\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003equay of calais\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e(National Gallery) is not directly related to this experience, it certainly contributed to the vivid representation of an elemental and uncontrollable sea.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eIt is not surprising to find that in his later works, from the mid-1820s until his death in 1851, there were more marine themes than any other.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFort Vimieux\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eit is part of a group of paintings in which Turner reacted to Britain's fight against the French in the Napoleonic Wars.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eAs an islander and passionate sailor, he could hardly have remained unmoved by Nelson's triumph and death at Trafalgar.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eHe made a special voyage to sketch the Victory when it entered the Medway and made detailed sketches on board the ship.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eSoon after he painted\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethe battle of trafalgar\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e(Tate Gallery) as well as\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003evictory returning from\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003etrafalgar\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e(Yale Center for British Art), and took up the theme again in 1823 with the enormous painting commissioned by the Prince of Wales (National Maritime Museum, Greenwich).\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003epainted\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Field of Waterloo\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cspan\u003e(Tate Gallery) in 1818, and its 1842 Royal Academy exhibition titled War.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Exile and the Rock Limpet\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e(Tate Gallery) included the figure of Napoleon in exile in Saint Helena.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHowever, while the theme partly reflects Britain's valiant efforts to prevent a French invasion, the inspiration for the composition of\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFort Vimieux\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eit is probably that of Bonington, an artist much admired by Turner.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eBonington had died in 1828 and the sale of his studio had taken place in London in June 1829. This sale included several Calais beach scenes and in 1830 Turner exhibited Calais\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSands\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e(Bury Art Gallery - see fig.2) at the Royal Academy, a painting that deliberately repeats a theme of which Bonington was an acknowledged master.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCalais Sands\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eand\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFort Vimieux\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cspan\u003eare the same size and both paintings draw on Turner's appreciation of Bonington's genius, although both also include the Turnerian twist of a fiery sunset.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eAnother painting that is closely related to the composition of\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFort Vimieux\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eis\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA Ship Ground\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003efrom c.1828 (Tate Gallery - fig.3), where a warship lies on its side in the light of the setting sun, though the image lacks the drama of the later work.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFort Vimieux\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eit remained in the artist's possession until about 1845, when it was purchased by Charles Meigh of Grove House in Shelton, Staffordshire.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eMeigh was the grandson of a successful Staffordshire pottery maker, and successfully ran the business himself, supervising the Company's display at the Great Exhibition in 1851. He was said to have a large and valuable collection including works by Reynolds, Gainsborough , Wright of Derby , West, Constable and many Victorian artists.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eHe also owned three Turner watercolors:\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMaecena's Villa, View of Magdalen College\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eand\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eView of Box Hill,\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSurrey\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eThe pictures were displayed in a private gallery attached to his home, \"one of the largest and best private collections of pictures in the country\" (\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eArt Union\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e, December 1845, p.367).\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eIn 1850 it was sold\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFort Vimieux\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e, as part of a two-day sale dedicated to the Meigh collection, to the notable Colonel James Lenox, a strict Presbyterian heir to one of New York's great real estate fortunes.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eLenox lived at 53 Fifth Avenue and his celebrated book collection was housed in a purpose-built house on Fifth Avenue, designed by Richard Morris Hunt, which eventually merged with the Astor Library to become the main branch of the New York Public Library. .\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eIn 1845, Lenox had purchased, directly from the artist,\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTurner Staffa, Fingals\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003edig\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e(Yale Center for British Art, New Haven), which became Turner's first work to go to America.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eA few years later, Lenox tried to persuade Turner to sell it.\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Fighting Temeraire\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003ebut without success.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eLenox gave his entire collection to the trust that owned his library, and it became the New York Public Library.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eThe current owner's father purchased the painting at the Library sale in 1956.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTurner's contemporaries were enthusiastic about his praise of\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFort Vimieux.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe critic's words\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLa Belle Assemblee\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003ehave been cited above, and\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Spectator\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eof the 7\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003cspan\u003eof\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eMay considered Turner's two seaside scenes to be 'full of beauty'.\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eThe most appreciative review was in the\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFine Arts Library\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e(i, no-5, p.419):\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"The red-hot shot of buckshot, the sun of a bloody hue 'low, deep, and pale,' the forlorn and frightened seagull, the ball whistling in the water, and the stranded ship, present a vivid picture of the event, while the the imagination of\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eset\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/span\u003eit is great and stupendous. When will Mr. Turner show signs of decay?... his temper is as green as when we first saw him in the childhood of our lives.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFort Vimieux is ranked no. 86 on the list of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/kuadros.com\/collections\/100-pinturas-famosas\" title=\"Famous paintings\"\u003efamous paintings\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Joseph Mallord William Turner (J. M. W. Turner)","offers":[{"title":"50x65","offer_id":44941891961113,"sku":"fuerte-vim150","price":200000.0,"currency_code":"CLP","in_stock":true},{"title":"71X106 original size","offer_id":44941891993881,"sku":"fuerte-vim235","price":313300.0,"currency_code":"CLP","in_stock":true},{"title":"115x165","offer_id":44941892026649,"sku":"fuerte-vim290","price":483900.0,"currency_code":"CLP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0278\/9628\/3224\/files\/pintura-Fuerte-Vimieux-KUADROS.jpg?v=1683859740","url":"https:\/\/kuadros.com\/en-cl\/products\/strong-vimieux-1","provider":"KUADROS","version":"1.0","type":"link"}