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Turner's Hidden Sketches Reveal Raw Inner Life
19 Nov
Summary
- 37,000 unseen sketches offer glimpses into Turner's private character.
- Experts and celebrities like Ronnie Wood and Chris Packham analyze his work.
- Late drawings reveal tender eroticism and an early awareness of climate change.
The documentary 'Turner: The Secret Sketchbooks' delves into the artist's 37,000 unseen sketches, offering rare insights into his elusive personality. Diverse voices, from art historians to figures like Chris Packham and Ronnie Wood, contribute to a nuanced exploration of Turner's life and legacy. These private drawings reveal aspects of his character not evident in his main body of work.
Turner's early life, marked by loss and his mother's mental illness, is explored through his art. His potential neurodiversity is suggested by his "hyperfocused" attention to detail in early sketches. Despite his working-class background, he excelled at the Royal Academy, yet his art often conveyed underlying trauma and personal struggles.
The sketchbooks also provide glimpses into Turner's financial pragmatism and later life, including tenderly erotic drawings inspired by his partner Sophia Booth. Furthermore, the works suggest an early awareness of climate change, with Turner contemplating the human impact on nature and posing questions about unchecked progress.
