The Eruption of the Soufriere Mountains in the Island of St. Vincent

When I was searching for a nice painting by Turner I didn't really get exited to write about one of his paintings. I thought they were nice, but somehow they didn't really get to me. That's when I saw this one. Immediately I knew I would do my blog about this painting : The Eruption of the Soufriere Mountaines in the Island of St. Vincent (30-04-1812).











About Turner:

Joseph Mallord William Turner was born in London, 23th of April. 

His father was a hairdresser and a wig maker, his mother went gradually insane and died in a mental hospital when Turner was very young. Quite uneducated Turner started drawing when he was 13 years old. He was 15 years old when one of his paintings was exhibited at the Royal Academy. By the time he was 18 he had his own studio. Before he was 20 many print sellers were buying his drawings. In 1802 (when he was 27) Turner became a full member of the Royal Academy. Unlike many artists of his era, he was successful throughout his career. 

As he grew older Turner became more and more eccentric. He never married, even though he had a mistress (Sarah Danby) and two daughters. He had no friends (exept for his father, with whom he lived for 30 years) and he never allowed anyone to watch him while he painted. Sometimes none of his acquaintances saw him for months. He still held exhibitions, but he usually refused to sell his paintings. When his father died in 1829, Turner often suffered from depressions.

In 1850 he exhibited for the last time. One day Turner disappeared from his house. His housekeeper found him after searching for many months. He had been ill for a long time and died the following day (Dec. 19 1851).Turner left a large fortune to support what he called "decaying artists." Twenty years after his death, his paintings were given to the British Museum. These paintings are currently the Tate Gallery in London.

Late work

Early work

His later works are more vague and they are clearly in the style of impressionism. Impressionism (19th century) was a renewing and revolutionary way of painting in contrast with the academic classicism. 

                                              

Turner is known as an established landscape and marine painter and he is famous for his revolutionary use of light and colour to create extreme natural landscapes.

Mountains in the Island of St. Vincent

2011, There were twenty major volcanic eruption by circa 64 active volcanoes. Particularly the Caribbean region has always suffered from volcanic eruptions. The volcanoes lie to the east and thankfully most volcanoes are dormant.

In the past there have been some big eruptions, especially La Soufriere, which stands in the relatively underpopulated and wild northern end, has been the most turbulent. For instance in 1902  in St Vincent, La Soufriere began a ten-month period of eruptions that killed nearly 1,600 people and more recently, since 1995, Montserrat’s Soufriere Hills volcano has buried the town of Plymouth in 12 metres of ash. In 1971 and 1979 La Soufriere erupted again.

It had also caused extensive damage and loss of life in 1718 and then again nearly a century later in April 1812. It is remembered because it has been a hot topic in the world of art. The eruption came after a long geological instability. Then, on April 27, Soufriere began to explosively erupt. We now think that about 80 people died and they were mostly slaves working on the sugar plantations planted in the fertile soil. Of course the plantations were also destroyed.

But in Britain the people were more occupied with Napoleon and a threatening war with the United States. However, Joseph Mallord William Turner, by now 37 years old was fascinated by the power of volcanoes. 

The work itself:

In April 1815 Turner unveiled his work at the Royal Academy: The Eruption of the Souffrier Mountains, in the Island of St Vincent, at Midnight, on the 30th of April,1812. Because it is midnight the edges of the painting are dark and in the middle the heath of the eruption is painted in white and yellow. The dark edges make the eruption stand out even more. And then there are some rocks flying trough the air. The painting is so realistic, it's almost as if you are present at the drama. 

The painting owes its inspiration to Keane; he owned a plantation in St. Vincent. He kept a journal, and made a sketch of the eruption, which helped Turner’s to create his own painting. We don't know where the sketch of Keane is or what it looked like. 

My opinion:

When I first saw the painting I thought: 'Just what is that?' It took me some time to realize it was a volcanic eruption and I love this painting. It is dramatic, yet not too much, it is beautiful yet it is dangerous. I think it is really admirable how he painted the light. The sky is dark, but because of the eruption you can see the clouds of ash coming out of the mountain. And the lava seems to come right at you. Another thing I find really beautiful is the light which is reflected in the water.

I really like this painting and I hope you, my readers, do too!