Turner’s earliest exhibited painting to be auctioned after 150 years

One of J.M.W. Turner's earliest oil paintings, lost for over 150 years, has resurfaced and is set to be auctioned for up to £300,000 in London.

The earliest known oil painting ever exhibited by renowned British artist J.M.W. Turner is set to be auctioned after vanishing for over a century and a half. Titled "The Rising Squall, Hot Wells, from St Vincent’s Rock, Bristol", the artwork depicts a turbulent scene at a former spa in Bristol, viewed from the River Avon’s east bank before the iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge existed.

Painted when Turner was just 17, the piece debuted at the Royal Academy in 1793, days after his 18th birthday. It was later purchased by Reverend Robert Nixon, a family acquaintance, and passed down to his son before fading into obscurity. Its last public showing was in Tasmania in 1858. For over a century, the painting was misidentified as a watercolour, excluding it from official Turner oil painting catalogues.

It wasn't until the piece was cleaned in 2024 that Turner's signature was rediscovered, confirming its authenticity. The painting is now recognized as a significant insight into the young artist’s early talent and ambition in oil work. It will be displayed at Sotheby’s in London from 28 June to 1 July before being auctioned, with an estimated value of up to £300,000.

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