the_jabberwock:
Turner was a true master of light. His own vision failing may have given rise to this. His son was tasked with both acquiring and mixing the paints. The significance of the painting is that it shows a once glorious wooden ship that had been in the Admiralty for over 40 years was now being towed to its graveyard along the River Thames to Rotherhithe in south-east London. This was the dawn of the Industrial Age, giving way to steam. The painting was accompanied by lines from a Thomas Campbell poem, Ye mariners of England: 'The flag which braved the battle and the breeze, No longer owns her'. Poignant as 2022 gives way to 2023. A great choice to cap the end of the year off @arseniccookie.
arseniccookie:
@the_jabberwock Thank you for enlightening me on the background of the painting. I am more of a enthusiast than a scholar when it comes to paintings.