This exhibition explores the history of J.M.W. Turner’s painting Margate(?), from the Sea, and the legacy of his Bequest
Initially, many works in Turner’s Bequest, including Margate (?), from the Sea, were considered unfinished and unsuitable for display, and consequently remained hidden for decades. Their reassessment in the early twentieth century, culminating in a landmark 1966 exhibition, transformed Turner’s reputation, particularly as his atmospheric style came to be seen as anticipating Impressionism. The exhibition also highlights Turner’s influence on later artists, featuring artworks showing "copyists" at work, by Henry Tidmarsh and Bertha Mary Garnett, and raises broader questions about what it means for a work to be “finished” in the context of Turner’s evolving artistic vision. In addition, a copy of Turner's will is on display, to tell the complex yet fascinating story of his bequest. Unfinished Business is an exhibition well worth seeing for anyone wishing to learn more about J. M. W. Turner’s legacy.

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Visitor information
Address
40 Sandycoombe Road, Twickenham, TW1 2LR
020 8892 5485
Opening times
Wed – Sun 12:00 to 16:00
