Turner made his first tour on the continent in the summer of 1802, when he was twenty-seven. Between then and 1845 he made perhaps as many as twenty further excursions into Europe, encompassing France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, Denmark, what is now the Czech Republic, Switzerland and, of course, Italy. But though his travels were extensive, they were confined to Europe, unlike some of his contemporaries, who ventured to Egypt or to British colonies.

The conveniences of modern travel were still in their infancy, and it was only during the latter half of Turner’s working life that steam power was introduced, greatly reducing the time it took to travel to and within Europe. When he landed in Calais in 1802 Turner had already been travelling for several days since leaving London. By the 1830s it was possible to board a steamboat near London Bridge and be in Belgium or Holland in a few hours.

Turner’s later European travels were primarily an opportunity to investigate and absorb new scenery that had potential for the growing market for sumptuously illustrated travel books. He also drew on the material he recorded during his travels for his exhibits at the Royal Academy, or for pictures commissioned by specific collectors.

BP British Art Displays 1500-2011