JMW Turner (1775–1851) is considered the most influential British artist of all time. Turner embraced modernity, redefining landscape painting during his extensive travels in Britain and Europe. He found inspiration in Margate’s skies, calling them ‘the loveliest in all Europe.’ The view from Mrs Booth’s house, near this gallery’s location, inspired many of his sea studies.

Waves Breaking On a Lee Shore is likely to have been painted partly in Margate. It captures the force of the sea during a violent storm, experienced from the safety of the beach. The viewpoint looks east towards the Stone Pier and lighthouse, both visible on the left, while a plume of dark smoke towards the right of the canvas suggests an unseen vessel.

The painting evolved from a burst of sketching at a time when Turner was experimenting with different media and formats, such as the wide landscape format used here. The same year, Turner painted a famous, full-size picture from this sketch. Rockets and Blue Lights (The Clark Museum, Massachusetts) shows the steamers’ difficulty approaching Margate harbour in heavy seas.

During Turner’s life, Waves Breaking On a Lee Shore was never displayed publicly. Oil sketches were a common practice among artists of Turner’s time, serving as a means for them to try out ideas and techniques for their larger, exhibited canvases. These sketches remained in Turner’s London studio until they joined the national collections in 1856.