The Battle of Trafalgar: Commemoration and Controversy

Joseph Mallord William Turner's The Batt le of Trafalgar is one of
the most famous and recognisable paintings in the collection of
the National Maritime Museum. Published to coincide with the
250th anniversary of Turner's birth and 220 years aft er the batt le
for which this monumental work is named, the book situates the
painting alongside plans, sketches and artefacts from the National
Maritime Museum's collection and examines Turner's contribution
to maritime art and to Nelson's complicated legacy.
The Batt le of Trafalgar was the only work Turner made 'by royal
command' and the largest he painted. Although best remembered
as an unconventional artist, with this commission Turner was
tasked with producing a patriotic painting to adorn the halls
of power. On completion, the piece was the subject of intense
scrutiny, att racting criticism for perceived historical inaccuracies in
the representation of the batt le. Yet it remains a powerful artwork,
which combines a celebration of maritime victory with a tribute to
national a hero, an ode to ordinary sailors and a meditation on the
horrors of war.
Three chapters consider: the artist and the batt le; the
commissioning of the work, Turner's artistic process and specifi c
elements and events within the fi nished piece; and the response to
the work, including its display in the National Gallery of Naval Art
at Greenwich Hospital.