CELEBRATE THE 250th ANNIVERSARY OF ARTIST J.M.W.TURNER ON HIS BIRTHDAY
For the first time in almost forty years rarely seen bird studies form the star attraction of the first exhibition in a generation devoted to animals and birds painted by J.M.W. Turner.
Opening on the artist’s birthday, in his 250th anniversary year, the exhibition takes place at Sandycombe Lodge, the villa near the Thames that Turner designed and inhabited between 1813 and 1826 in Twickenham.
Feathers, fins and fur are not subject matter usually associated with Britain’s greatest landscape painter but, as this exhibition reveals, Turner was enchanted by the colours and characters of creatures he encountered during his lifetime.
Featuring around fifteen loans from British public collections, Turner’s Kingdom: Beauty, Birds and Beasts brings together a menagerie of birds, fish and animals, from domestic pets to wildlife seen in the countryside.
Displayed within the intimate, domestic space of his house – now a museum – they uncover a little known, personal side to the notoriously secretive artist.
Nicola Moorby, curator of the exhibition, comments: “Even die-hard Turner fans may be surprised by these beautiful bird studies. They are so rarely put on display and it is a huge treat to be able to share them in the unique setting of Turner’s own house.”
Exceptional works include watercolours from the ‘Farnley Book of Birds’, an album of exquisite natural history studies, painted for Turner’s patron, Walter Fawkes of Farnley Hall in Yorkshire. On loan from Leeds Museums and Galleries, the selected examples include a barn owl, a goldfinch and a turkey, as well as two species that hold particular relevance to Turner’s House: a heron, still a common sight along the Thames to the west of London; and a peacock, a bird pictured within the gardens of Sandycombe Lodge by another artist, William Havell.
They bear witness both to Turner’s powers of observation and to the closeness of his friendship with Fawkes. The loans are supported by the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund.
Created by the Garfield Weston Foundation and Art Fund, the Weston Loan Programme is the first ever UK-wide funding scheme to enable smaller and local authority museums to borrow works of art and artefacts from national collections.
A further piece of personal detail is Turner’s angling equipment, loaned by the Royal Academy of Arts. Exhibited for the first time in the house, the fishing rod is probably the very one Turner used to catch fish in the nearby Thames, transferring his catches to a purpose-built pond at the bottom of the garden.
Jennifer Francis, Director of Turner’s House Museum, comments: “This exhibition reveals a surprising and personal dimension to Turner’s artistry. These rarely seen works, displayed in the home he designed to live in with his father, bring us closer to his world and his remarkable eye for detail. It is a privilege to share these treasures in celebration of Turner’s 250th anniversary.”
Lucy Littlewood, Chair of Turner’s House Trust, comments: “Turner was a man of fascinating contrasts — rising from working-class roots in his father’s barber shop to the highest echelons of society and the Royal Academy. Turner’s House, his personal retreat, is his largest work of art — a perfect yet quirky architectural gem, shaped by his friendship with John Soane.
“It’s highly fashionable, but not a grand showpiece for entertaining — a deeply personal space for him and his much-loved father. During such a special year, it’s a pleasure to share this stunning, rarely seen work in the context of other world-class exhibitions taking place across the UK.
“We want to bring more of Turner’s character and personality to life within these walls, but we need investment to do so. This year, we’re asking 250 people to honour Turner’s legacy with gifts from £250—an extraordinary birthday present for an extraordinary artist.”
Sophia Weston, Deputy Chair of the Garfield Weston Foundation, said: ‘Our programme empowers smaller museums to bring fascinating art and objects to new audiences so we are thrilled to support this timely exhibition at Turner’s House in Twickenham, which includes rarely and never before seen pieces by one of our greatest artists.’
Exhibition opening dates: 23 April – 26 October, 2025 Opening hours: Wed – Sun,
12pm to 4pm
Admission charge: £12
TO LEARN MORE GO TO What’s On – Turner’s House