HOW TURNER WORKED.

Otago Witness, Issue 2902, 27 October 1909, Page 81

HOW TURNER WORKED.

I --His "Crossing the Brock."— I 'Crossing the Brook," one of the wjellknown picture of Turner, was worked out from sketches mada in Devonehii-e when Turner was with Cyrus Redding. .They i were* struck by tha beauty of the shores 1 of Taniar, and. Turner admired especially i tho bridge. This fondnes sfor bridges is ! a marked characteristic of our artist.V The ' party consisted of four, ajid found them I selves about three miles from Tavistock, with night coming on. There was an urn, i but no bi-ds could be obtained. Turner 1 said he would rather stay, as he had a | great deSire to. seo 'he country rolled at sunrise, and would anyone volunteer" with, him? Redding volunteered, and the' others drove off to Tavistock. The following ia R«ddiiig's account of what iiappen-ed': — "Turner was content with bread" and cheese and beer, tolerably good, for dinner and supper in one. I contrived to feas-fc eorcewhat less simply on bacon anS eggs, through ah after-thought inspiration. ,In the little sanded room we conversed by the light cf an attenuated candle, anil aid frc'm the raoo'n, until nearly midnight, wlien Turoar laid his head upon the tabls and was soon sound asleep. I placed two or thros chairs in a line, and followed h : s example at full reoqßnfbenoy. "In this way three or four hours' rest, was obtained, and w© were both freoh enough to go out as soon as the sun was up to explore the scenery -in ths neighbour- ! hood, and gdt a humble breakfast; be r oJ« our friends rejoined us from TavistockTurner sketched the bridge, but appeared from where' I stood to be changing his posi« tion several times, as if he tried more than one sketch and could not please himself ns to ths best, point. I saw that bridge, and a par* of the scene afterwards in . painting in his gallery. 'Ho had made several additions to the scenery, and, if I remern.ber rightly, he had introduced into it some of the fictitious character of the heathen mythology " Turner had an, excellent constitution, early inured to rottgh it. and ha desired few comforts. He was not particular, oven j about his materials- and tools, and he Was j always able to work without waiting for S any particular mocd. j He had a preference- for solitude, and ! would walk from 20 to 25 miles a day, sketching rapidly on his way all striking pieces of composition. Clouds and shadows were transferred to his note-book, to be used at some future date, perhaps years ' afterwards. j. He -was fond of "making" pictures, and u*od to say, "if- when out sketching you. feel a loss, you have' only to turn round, or walk a few paces further, and you have what you want before you." Probably "Crossing the Brook" was p-ainted on this principle. — Honora Twyoross, in "Great Thoughts."