In Tate Britain
Prints and Drawings Room
View by appointment- Artist
- Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
- Part of
- Studies for Liber Sketchbook
- Medium
- Graphite and watercolour on paper
- Dimensions
- Support: 230 x 344 mm
- Collection
- Tate
- Acquisition
- Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
- Reference
- D08100
Turner Bequest CXV 47
Display caption
At a time of war, ploughing had a powerful patriotic symbolism. The image of the plough is also part of biblical symbolism. Its function is implicit in St John’s vision of what he called ‘a new earth’ which came at the Last Judgement.
Turner probably drew this scene in the aftermath of Waterloo, the battle that finally rid Europe of Napoleon. Turner once said ‘the soil is British & so shall be the harvest’. His sentiment is close to Blake’s thoughts in Jerusalem, though Blake’s words possess the energy of the prophetic visionary. This made Blake very different to his fellow artists.
Gallery label, December 2004
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