Joseph Mallord William TurnerSlavers Throwing Overboard the Dead and Dying, Typhoon Coming On, 1840Oil on canvas Everyone knows Turner, but I’m always struck with how advanced his technique was for its time. Breaking with the meticulous form of Romanticism, Turner lets his loose brushwork create a hazy atmosphere that will be iconic of later Impressionists (think Monet). The scene above tells the story of Zong the slave trader, who tossed his dead and dying slaves overboard to cash in an insurance policy. Notice the bottom right corner, where flailing bodies with their hands still in manacles are struggling not to drown. If you’re in the area, I highly recommend stopping by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston to see this piece in person.

Joseph Mallord William Turner
Slavers Throwing Overboard the Dead and Dying, Typhoon Coming On, 1840
Oil on canvas

Everyone knows Turner, but I’m always struck with how advanced his technique was for its time. Breaking with the meticulous form of Romanticism, Turner lets his loose brushwork create a hazy atmosphere that will be iconic of later Impressionists (think Monet). The scene above tells the story of Zong the slave trader, who tossed his dead and dying slaves overboard to cash in an insurance policy. Notice the bottom right corner, where flailing bodies with their hands still in manacles are struggling not to drown.

If you’re in the area, I highly recommend stopping by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston to see this piece in person.

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