New Book Explores J.M.W. Turner's Complex Relationship with Slavery and Art
A new book by Sam Smiles delves into the complex relationship between the renowned British landscape painter J.M.W. Turner and the institution of slavery. The book examines Turner's early financial involvement in a Jamaican plantation, which was funded by the profits of slavery, and contrasts this with his later artistic work, particularly the painting 'The Slave Ship.' This painting, created in 1840, is often interpreted as a powerful condemnation of the slave trade. Smiles' research reveals that Turner invested in a 'dry sugar work pen' in Jamaica in 1805, a time when the abolition movement was gaining momentum. This investment, which involved the use of enslaved Africans, was part of a broader financial scheme that ultimately failed to yield the expected profits. The book also explores how Turner's art was influenced by his patrons, some of whom were opposed to abolition, and how his work reflects the broader socio-economic context of his time. 
