Art Insights — The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Common By William Turner

German Romanticism had Caspar David Friedrich as its leading figure. For England — it was William Turner with his iconic artworks. Two of those captured a historical event that occurred in 1834.

It was October 16, 1834, when the fire broke in the home of the British parliament. One of the buildings of The Palace of Westminster was on fire because of an overheated stove which was fueled by small wooden tally sticks, previously used as the utilities for the tax collecting procedures by the British treasury.

The fire broke out strongly, and soon, the whole of London was watching the scene from the various spots and bridges around the Thames river. Some people even rented boats to get closer to the parliament building and see everything up close. Turner was among the viewers of this massive accident. The painter always held a great admiration towards the forces of nature (as most of the Romanticism period painters did) — fire, water, and air. While watching the fire, Turner made some quick sketches that eventually were converted into two paintings.

One version of The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons (1834) by William Turner. Oil on canvas, 92x123 cm. Source: Wikipedia Commons.

At the time, Turner’s works often had mixed reviews from the collectors and the general audience. Not all Romanticism painters got the recognition they deserved during their lifetimes. The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons had the same fate. Some were fascinated by the rich and powerful colors and the depiction of fire, while others criticized it for the lack of realism and detail. However, the main idea behind Turner’s works (and Romanticism artworks in general) was the expression of emotion, not the depiction of a highly realistic and detailed scene. Turner did his best to display the emotions he felt during that night while standing nearby the Thames.

The fire had a special meaning for Turner. In his early days, the future Romanticism icon worked in a theatre as a decorator. He worked there until there was a fire and the theatre was burned down to the ground. When the young painter saw the ashes and remainings of a theatre building, he made sketches and spent the following days, working on a watercolor painting. Turner missed the next 10 days in the Royal Academy of Arts because of this outburst of enthusiasm toward the fire. It got some recognition, and the next spring, Turner’s watercolor painting was exhibited in the Royal Academy of Arts.

Interestingly, Turner was also investing some of his money into firefighting. He was keen to invest the money from his artistic ventures into the purchase of land, as well as the ownership of various companies. One of such was a company that provided the equipment for firefighters. Curiously, fire became a great source of inspiration, as well as the source of income for the English painter.

Another version of The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons (1834) by William Turner. Oil on canvas, 92x123 cm. Source: Wikipedia Commons.

To summarize both Turner’s artworks, dedicated to this misfortune — emotions hit high. Both paintings display the destructive force of fire that has gathered a great number of the local population. Romanticism was about the portrayal of the forces of nature. The human figure usually plays just a symbolic role. You can agree with some of his critics about the lack of detail. The painter gives us just a basic distinction between the fire, sky, and the amazed crowd nearby Thames river. However, Turner used the right set of colors to make these simplistic paintings eye-catching. Both of his artworks are indeed powerful and remain great examples of the finest traditions of Romanticism.

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