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Print made by Joseph Mallord William Turner, 1775–1851, British, Paestum, between 1820 and 1826
- Title:
- Paestum
- Part Of:
Collective Title: Little Liber, or Sequels to the Liber Studiorum
- Date:
- between 1820 and 1826
- Materials & Techniques:
- Mezzotint; artist's proof (d) on medium, slightly textured, cream laid paper
- Dimensions:
- Sheet: 8 1/2 × 12 5/8 inches (21.6 × 32 cm), Plate: 7 1/2 × 10 1/8 inches (19.1 × 25.7 cm), Image: 6 × 8 1/2 inches (15.2 × 21.6 cm)
- Inscription(s)/Marks/Lettering:
Inscribed in graphite, upper right: "799"; inscribed on verso in graphite, lower left: "R799"; lower right: "hg 1949"
- Credit Line:
- Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Fund
- Copyright Status:
- Public Domain
- Accession Number:
- B2020.2.1
- Classification:
- Prints
- Collection:
- Prints and Drawings
- Access:
- Accessible in the Study Room [Request]
- Link:
- https://collections.britishart.yale.edu/catalog/tms:82429
- Export:
- XML
- IIIF Manifest:
- JSON
After he abandoned his work on the Liber Studiorum in 1819, Turner began a series of mezzotints devoted to atmospheric effects. Engraved by Turner himself, these prints were based on loose and simplified watercolor studies. Turner transformed these brief sketches into finished works as he transferred them to copper or steel printing plates. In the mezzotint technique, the plate is initially roughened so that it holds ink across its surface and prints a uniform deep black. The roughness is then smoothed out or “scraped” to introduce lighter areas into the image. Because this process results in diffuse forms, it is usual to reinforce the mezzotint plate with etched outlines. Turner, however, selected subjects suited to a purely tonal treatment — clouds, waves, moonlight, storms, sunsets, and sunrises — enabling him to minimize the use of line. Taking full advantage of mezzotint’s ability to render every degree of light and shade, from velvety darks to pure white highlights, he created some of the most expressive prints ever made. Gallery label for J. M. W. Turner: Romance and Reality (Yale Center for British Art, March - 29, 2025 - July 27, 2025)
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