Exhibitions and BBC film will celebrate legacy of Turner on 250th anniversary

The legacy of English romantic painter JMW Turner will be celebrated throughout this year with exhibitions and a BBC documentary, as 2025 marks 250 years since his birth.

The artist, born on April 23 1775 in London, with the full name Joseph Mallord William Turner, has been hailed as “one of this country’s greatest artists”, and the £25,000 prestigious British artist award, the Turner Prize, was named after him.

He is known for the works The Fighting Temeraire, The Slave Ship, The Battle Of Trafalgar and The Burning Of The Houses Of Lords And Commons, among other pieces, which capture tempestuous scenery as he helped redefine landscape painting.

Arts Minister Sir Chris Bryant said: “Turner was one of this country’s greatest artists. An innovator who created some of our best known canvasses, he reshaped British art.

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“A talent of Turner’s stature requires a year of celebration, from the prize in his name to the back of the £20 note, his immense legacy continues to permeate through the arts and public life in Britain.

“The 250th anniversary of his birth will be an opportunity for the public to immerse themselves in our outstanding artistic heritage. I encourage everyone to take the time to find an event from the upcoming year to enjoy some of Britain’s finest artists from the past and present.”

Organisations including the Tate, the BBC and Art UK are taking part in celebrating Turner’s life this year.

The exhibitions, which take place in London, Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Norwich, Bath and Sussex, explore his connections to 19th Century novelist Jane Austen and Turner’s fellow Romantic landscape painter, John Constable.

There will also be displays, commissions and events in London and Margate, as the Turner Prize is staged in Bradford as a highlight of the UK City of Culture programme.

On Turner’s birthday in April, the shortlisted Turner Prize 2025 artists will be announced ahead of their show in Bradford in the autumn.

There will also be an exhibition of Turner’s rarely-seen images of wildlife at Turner’s House in Twickenham, and a room will be open in Tate Britain’s Clore Gallery, home to a permanent free display of 100 works by the artist.

A catalogue of Turner’s 37,500 sketches and watercolours will be released on the Tate website, while the 2014 biopic Mr Turner, starring Timothy Spall, will be re-shown at BFI Southbank as the BBC film Turner Unseen: The Secret Life Of A Radical Genius delves into his art and life.

Suzy Klein, head of BBC Arts and Classical Music TV, said: “We’re thrilled to be working with Tate to celebrate Britain’s most celebrated artist and be granted unprecedented access to Turner’s vast collection of rarely seen sketches.

“I can’t wait to share this treasure trove with audiences, not only illuminating the workings of Turner’s unique creative mind but also offering an unprecedented view into the extraordinary era of change during his lifetime.”

Turner, who travelled through Europe including France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, will also be commemorated with shows at Connecticut, Cincinnati and Shanghai, as well as a special exhibition in Dublin – which has displayed works bequeathed by English collector Henry Vaughan.

Maria Balshaw, Tate director, said: “Turner is a standout figure in the story of British creativity. It is Tate’s privilege to care for the world’s biggest collection of his art and showcase it to the widest possible public.

“Over the course of this year, I’m delighted that we will be showing over 150 of his stunning works at Tate Britain as well as lending over 100 more to venues right across this country and beyond.”