Joseph Mallord William Turner (British, 1775 - 1851)
Modern Rome - Campo Vaccino, 1839, Oil on canvas
91.8 × 122.6 cm (36 1/8 × 48 1/4 in.), 2011.6
On Display at The J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles
Modern Rome - Campo Vaccino, portrays the city of Rome in the “modern” day under the hazy light of a rising moon and setting sun. The artist, Joseph Mallord William Turner, was known as “the painter of light” due to his inclination towards using brilliant colour in his landscapes and seascapes, and frequently painted Rome and various other areas that wealthy travellers encountered on the Grand Tour. These paintings often served as souvenirs and status symbols; evidence of one’s encounters with the sublime. What is most unusual about Campo Vaccino is that Turner painted it ten years after his final visit to the city. It may seem out of character, but the power of memory was considered very important during the Romantic period. It was considered a bridge between reality and spirituality due to how sensory experiences of the physical world blend with internal experiences of emotions. Poets like William Wordsworth spoke of the value of memory in their own work. For example, Wordsworth’s poem “Lines Written a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey,” focused on how the memory of his home saw him through difficult times while travelling. Similarly, Turner saw the perks of allowing memory to guide his brush. Modern Rome - Campo Vaccino was created at the peak of Turner’s career, and he never made another painting of the city. Perhaps the memory was too sweet to poke at any longer.
Key Words: the sublime, memory, paintings, J.M.W. Turner, tourism