Oil paint on mahogany
Tate Collection
Works with images
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>
Interior a Romanesque Church
Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
actions: postures and motions
adults
arch
architecture
church
column
features
figure
interiors
kneeling
people
periods and styles
prayer
religion and belief
religious
Romanesque
universal religious imagery
window, stained glass
painting oil paint mahogany
28 April 2012 – 10 July 2016
2016-07-10
28 April 2012
2012-04-28
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2012-04-28
In The Studio
Collection based display
11 March 2022 – 18 June 2022
2022-06-18
11 March 2022 – 18 June 2022
2022-06-18
2022-03-11
Turner Contemporary (Margate, UK)
2022-03-11
JMW Turner
Loan-out
Interior of a Romanesque Church
support: 610 × 502 mm
frame: 660 × 553 × 57 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><b>23.</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-interior-of-a-romanesque-church-n05529" title="View the details of this artwork"><span>N05529</span></a>]<b> Interior of a Romanesque Church</b> <i>c.</i>
1795–1800
<br/>
<br/>THE TATE GALLERY, LONDON (5529)
<br/>Mahogany, 24 ×19 3/4 (61 × 50)</p>
<p><b>Coll.</b> Turner Bequest 1856 (283, one of ‘37 Pictures various’; identified by chalk number on back); transferred to the Tate Gallery 1947.</p>
<p><b>Lit.</b> Davies 1946, pp. 166, 191 n.27</p>
<p></p>
<p>In the 1856 copy of the Schedule the ‘37 Pictures various’ of 1854 were cut down to seven.
<br/>
<br/>The picture is still awaiting cleaning and is covered by a heavy layer of dirt. Turner seems to have used a <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/panel" title="Glossary definition for 'Panel'"><span>panel</span></a> from a door or piece of furniture. His <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/painting" title="Glossary definition for 'Painting'"><span>painting</span></a> is over several other layers of paint of single colours, and pin holes round the edges, in the surface, suggest that the main area of the panel was originally framed with wooden beading.
<br/>
<br/>Stylistically the picture seems to be early, recalling such ecclesiastical, selectively-lit interiors as 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/w/watercolour" title="Glossary definition for 'Watercolour'"><span>watercolours</span></a> of <i>Ely Cathedral: looking towards the North Transept and Chancel</i>, probably exhibited in 1797 (Aberdeen Art Gallery; see Wilton 1979, p. 321 no. 195, repr.) and <i>Transept of Ewenny Priory, Glamorganshire</i>, exhibited at the R.A. 1797 (National Museum of Wales, Cardiff; see Wilton 1979, p. 325 no. 227, repr. pl. 28; <i>c.f.</i> also the interior of Ewenny Priory in the ‘Swans’ sketchbook, dated by Finberg to <i>c.</i> 1798, XLII-58 and 59). Compare also the equally dirty <i>Interior of a Gothic Church</i>, which is related to watercolours of 1797 (No. 24, [<a class="acno-pop" data-gtm-destination="page--artwork" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/turner-interior-of-a-gothic-church-n05536" title="View the details of this artwork"><span>N05536</span></a>]).
<br/></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
actions: postures and motions adults arch architecture church column features figure interiors kneeling people periods and styles prayer religion and belief religious Romanesque universal religious imagery window, stained glass