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William Turner self portrait, c.1798  © Turner was one of the greatest English landscape painters, renowned for his dramatic and atmospheric treatment of light.

Joseph Mallord William Turner was born in late April or early May 1775 in Covent Garden, London. His father was a barber. Due to his mother's mental illness, Turner spent some of his childhood living with relatives. He worked as an assistant to various architects, but at the age of 14 he began to study at the Royal Academy Schools.

His early work consisted mainly of drawings and watercolours, but in 1796 Turner exhibited his first oil painting at the Royal Academy. He later built a gallery in his house in Harley Street to display most of his paintings, while continuing to exhibit at the Royal Academy. He was elected a member in 1802, professor of perspective in 1807 and deputy president in 1845.

Turner was successful from an early age, finding a group of wealthy patrons who bought and commissioned work from him and funded his trips abroad. By the time he was in his early twenties, he had established a pattern of work. In the summer he would travel, sketching and finding inspiration, then he would return home to develop his paintings during the winter.

He travelled extensively in Britain and at the age of 27, made his first trip abroad, visiting Switzerland, Savoy and Paris. The Napoleonic Wars prevented foreign travel for a number of years, but in 1819, Turner was able to make his first trip to Italy. He was hugely inspired by the historical monuments and works of art and by the light and scenery. He returned to Italy a number of times, particularly favouring Venice which was the inspiration for some of his finest work.

In 1840, Turner met the critic John Ruskin. By this time, Turner's work was out of favour, but Ruskin became a great champion. This was Turner's most remarkable artistic period with paintings such as 'The Fighting Téméraire' and 'Rain, Steam and Speed'. By the end of his life Turner's painting had become almost abstract.

Turner was a fiercely private and often eccentric man. He never married, but he had a long-standing relationship with Mrs Booth, the landlady of the seaside house he often stayed in at Margate. Turner died at his home in Chelsea on 19 December 1851 and was buried in St Paul's Cathedral. He bequeathed much of his work to the nation.