Oil paint on canvas
Tate Collection
Works with images
Works on loan
Joseph Mallord William Turner
Turner Bequest
Oil paintings
Collection
Turner owned by Tate
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/joseph-mallord-william-turner-558" aria-label="More by Joseph Mallord William Turner" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Joseph Mallord William Turner</a>
First Battle Trafalgar
Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
battle
history
military
military
Napoleonic Wars, 1796-1815
sea
seascapes and coasts
ship, sailing
ship, warship
society
Trafalgar, Battle, 21 October 1805
transport: water
work and occupations
<p>This sketch and the one next to it were made in preparation for Turner’s first and only royal commission, a huge painting to commemorate the battle of Trafalgar (currently exhibited in <i>Turner and the Masters</i>). In this design, Turner is plotting the relative positions of the boats, with Nelson’s <i>Victory</i> dominating the scene. The composition at this stage was very static. The more dynamic final work was to be criticised by naval officers for its inaccuracy.</p><p><em>Gallery label, February 2010</em></p>
painting oil paint canvas
6 December 2004 – 15 August 2005
2005-08-15
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2004-12-06
Blake and Jerusalem
Collection based display
10 May 2024 – 8 September 2024
2024-09-08
10 May 2024 – 8 September 2024
2024-09-08
2024-05-10
Laing Art Gallery (Newcastle upon Tyne, UK)
http://www.twmuseums.org.uk/
2024-05-10
The Fighting Temeraire: Art, Industry and Nostalgia
Loan-out
First Sketch for ‘The Battle of Trafalgar’
support: 902 × 1213 mm
Accepted by the nation as part of the <a href="/search?gid=999999781" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">Turner Bequest</a> 1856
<p>This sketch and the one next to it were made in preparation for Turner’s first and only royal commission, a huge painting to commemorate the battle of Trafalgar (currently exhibited in <i>Turner and the Masters</i>). In this design, Turner is plotting the relative positions of the boats, with Nelson’s <i>Victory</i> dominating the scene. The composition at this stage was very static. The more dynamic final work was to be criticised by naval officers for its inaccuracy. </p>

Display caption
2010-02-18T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
<p><b>250. </b>[<a class="acno-pop" data-gtm-destination="page--artwork" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/turner-first-sketch-for-the-battle-of-trafalgar-n05480" title="View the details of this artwork"><span>N05480</span></a>]<b> First Sketch for ‘The Battle of Trafalgar’</b> <i>c.</i> 1822–3</p>
<p>THE TATE GALLERY, LONDON (5480)</p>
<p>Canvas, 35 3/4 × 47 1/2 (91 × 120·5)</p>
<p><b>Coll.</b> Turner Bequest 1856 (16, ‘Companion to ditto [Battle of Trafalgar, see No, 251 [<a class="acno-pop" data-gtm-destination="page--artwork" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/turner-second-sketch-for-the-battle-of-trafalgar-n00556" title="View the details of this artwork"><span>N00556</span></a>]]’ 4'0" × 3'0"); transferred to the Tate Gallery 1947.</p>
<p><b>Lit.</b> Davies 1946, p. 158.</p>
<p>In the 1856 copy of the Schedule, Wornum annotated no. 16 as ‘unfinished’. This is the first oil sketch for the large picture begun in 1823 for George IV, No. 252; for a second, more detailed sketch see No. 251.[<span>N00556</span>] In this picture, there are no figures in the sea in the foreground and the <i>Victory</i> is seen slightly from the rear rather than approaching. The sails are also different, as is the placing of the other ships. However, as in the second sketch, the <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/c/composition" title="Glossary definition for 'Composition'"><span>composition</span></a> is closed on the right by a ship seen stern on.</p>
<p>There are paint losses in the top right-hand corner and to a lesser extent in small areas elsewhere.</p>
<p><b>Published in:</b>
<br/>Martin Butlin and Evelyn Joll, <i>The Paintings of J.M.W. Turner</i>, revised ed., New Haven and London 1984
<br/></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-10-07T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
battle history military military Napoleonic Wars, 1796-1815 sea seascapes and coasts ship, sailing ship, warship society Trafalgar, Battle, 21 October 1805 transport: water work and occupations