A huge retrospective of work by British artist J M. W. Turner is a major new attraction at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The tendency with Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775-1851) is to regard the artist primarily for his remarkable landscapes. But some of the most exciting works on display are his earlier more dramatic paintings, such as his “The Shipwreck,” his depiction of a tragedy at sea.
There is also his masterly “The Battle of Trafalgar, as Seen from the Mizen Starboard Shrouds of the Victory.” The exhibit also reflects his religious interest, as with “The Tenth Plague of Egypt.”
Venice was also his subject, with one painting that shows the fabled city bathed in sunlight. In all, there are some 140 paintings and watercolors in this extensive collection, more than half of which are on loan from the Tate in Britain. From July 1-September 21, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue. Phone: 212-535-7710.