⊳ 英國泰德美術館   

從私人收藏到國家級美術館 打破傳統博物館思維的藝術機構

英國泰德美術館於1897年由利物浦糖商亨利・泰德（Henry Tate）爵士創立，早年以國家藝廊的方向發展，至今在英國已有四座美術館的規模，包括歷史最悠久的泰德不列顛美術館（Tate Britain） 、英國北方藝術重鎮泰德利物浦美術館（Tate Liverpool）、深耕在地文化發展的泰德聖艾夫斯美術館（Tate St Ives）、以及人氣最旺的泰德現代美術館（Tate Modern）等。而作為英國最具代表性、參觀人數名列前茅的泰德美術館，其館藏涵蓋英國及西洋藝術史500年來的珍貴鉅作，其中尤以威廉．透納臨終捐贈的數百件油畫及上萬件水彩及素描作品最受矚目，更是世人參觀必訪的重點。近年泰德美術館更以打破年代界線的主題式策展開創新局，是全世界最具前瞻性美術館之一。

 

全球史上最大規模 威廉．透納真跡畫展首度登台

威廉．透納在世時就創立了基金，意在幫助貧窮的藝術家，這也成為泰德美術館成立英國最著名的藝術獎「透納獎」最重要的原因。在他逝世後部分畫作遺贈國家，大部分作品保存在泰德美術館，而擁有最多透納作品收藏的泰德美術館，本次將帶來80件透納的真跡畫作，以英國風景、阿爾卑斯山、威尼斯、海上風暴、海天之間、歷史故事、崇高美學等，分為7大展區，貫穿他整個創作生涯。為了凸顯透納作品的劃時代，泰德美術館另精選近30件當代藝術家作品加入展出，打造出前所未有、最大規模也是最全面的威廉．透納特展。

 

⭐ 展區亮點

⊳ 始於英國風景

透納因早期探索英國風景，而成為大自然崇高力量的熱情觀察者，他詳細描繪這些自然的景象，更讓他聲名遠播。為了真實捕捉環境的氛圍，透納經常沉浸在大自然中進行研究，並將現場草圖、記憶和想像融入其中，並將這些元素變成令人驚嘆的畫作。

懸崖上的城堡廢墟風景畫（Landscape Composition with a Ruined Castle on a Cliff）約瑟夫•馬洛德•威廉•透納（Joseph Mallord William Turner），1792–3。(圖片來源：TATE)

 

⊳ 走入山間

透納在1802 年第一次遊歷歐洲時，立即受到阿爾卑斯山的壯麗景色強烈吸引。他開始穿越山脈進行探險，並使用素描和水彩畫直接記錄他的經歷。透納同時對山脈獨有的光線與氛圍十分著迷，他觀察雪、水和天空的色彩反射，完成了數千項基本元素研究，運用出人意料的大膽色彩，創造出引人注目的效果。他對光線和色彩的掌握，啟發了莫內和法國印象派畫家，而他的創新手法更影響了一代又一代的藝術家創作。

布魯嫩，從琉森湖的視角：樣本研究畫（Brunnen, from the Lake of Lucerne: Sample Study）約瑟夫•馬洛德•威廉•透納（Joseph Mallord William Turner），1843-5。(圖片來源：TATE)

 

⊳ 歷史故事

透納身處的十八世紀，認為栩栩如生地呈現神話或聖經故事的畫作，是高雅藝術中最尊貴的形式，其畫風大多偏向如詩如畫的古典主義風格。而透納卻開創出獨特的新局，他採用古典場景，運用創新的繪畫技巧呈現出不會太理想化、在情感上更具感染力，且符合新興品味的畫作，不僅獲得同時代人們的讚賞，甚至讓之後數個世紀的觀賞者也驚嘆不已。

阿波羅和達芙妮的故事（Story of Apollo and Daphne）約瑟夫•馬洛德•威廉•透納（Joseph Mallord William Turner），1837。(圖片來源：TATE)

 

⊳ 威尼斯：壯麗的城市

在眾多以威尼斯為主題創作的藝術家中，透納是少數幾位可以將這座壯麗水上城市的獨特氣質，找到情感共鳴的藝術家之一。他的藝術生涯因其成就和創新而引人注目，而他所描繪的威尼斯畫作在第一批觀眾參觀後，立即被認定為他最神奇、最亮眼的作品之一。直至今日，透納的視角依然別具意義，它表達出威尼斯的美麗與哀愁，以及面對大海吞噬的恐怖威脅。

威尼斯-安康聖母大教堂（Venice - Maria della Salute）約瑟夫•馬洛德•威廉•透納（Joseph Mallord William Turner），1844。(圖片來源：TATE)

 

⊳ 海上風暴

在透納的作品中，海景畫佔了一半以上，包括捕鯨船、漁船、沉船和戰爭的畫作。這些是他最具爆發力、最令人回味的作品。他在畫中捕捉了海洋的危險，以及人類在大自然面前的渺小與無力。

「好棒啊！厄瑞波斯號捕鯨船！又一條魚！」（‘Hurrah! for the Whaler Erebus! Another Fish!’）約瑟夫•馬洛德•威廉•透納（Joseph Mallord William Turner），1846．(圖片來源：TATE)

 

⊳ 海天之間

透納不僅在畫作中體現大自然的偉大力量，更強調其具有詩意和催眠的特質。他在海洋與天空的描繪中，將飄渺的雲彩、充滿能量的浪花、和洶湧的海浪等細節，進行了數百次近距離研究，若將這些細節放在一起觀察，便可看出透納對海洋和天空最深的敬畏感。

藍色瑞吉山之日出（The Blue Rigi, Sunrise）約瑟夫•馬洛德•威廉•透納（Joseph Mallord William Turner），1842．(圖片來源：TATE)

 

⊳ 大自然的崇高美學

透納在晚年時期創作了許多純粹描繪光線和氛圍元素的畫作，此類抽像作品包含極少的具像或地形元素，甚至在當時被認為是「未完成的」作品。然而，從透納工作室中保存此類的作品數量來看，他已經將這些件品完成到令他滿意的程度。這些體現透納晚期風格的作品，為他贏得現代繪畫先知的美譽。

三個海景（Three Seascapes）約瑟夫•馬洛德•威廉•透納（Joseph Mallord William Turner），1827．(圖片來源：TATE)

 

史上最多最完整透納作品全球巡展，台灣首見

策展人伊莉莎白．布魯克(Elizabeth Brooke)提到，泰德美術館從未一次出借數量如此龐大的透納作品，其中更包含了40多幅油畫，這將是前所未有、最大規模的全球巡展，展覽亦將透過與約翰．亞康法、奧拉佛．埃利亞松、理查德．朗、科妮莉亞．帕克、凱蒂．帕特森、馬克．羅斯科、潔西卡．沃博伊斯等近30件頂尖藝術家的作品對話，展現威廉．透納對繪畫以及西方藝術中崇高表現的決定性影響。她並表示:「2025年適逢透納誕生250周年，讓今夏在台的展出更別具意義，其中最受矚目的展品之一《藍色瑞吉山，日出》在巡展結束後，將會回到泰德美術館封存10年，我們誠摯地邀請大家，把握這個難得的機會，親眼見證威廉．透納的藝術魅力。」

 

 

"J M W Turner: Tate Modern's Collection” Exhibition.

Masterpieces by Britain’s National Treasure - A Grand Debut in Taipei this June.

Turner is one of Britain’s most iconic Romantic landscape painters Celebrated as the 《Painter of Light》, he masterfully captured the movement and power of nature through his expressive use of color and exceptional command of light. The British public also chose him as the featured figure on the £20 banknote, a testament to his enduring legacy as one of Britain’s most revered painters.

2025 marks the 250th anniversary of Turner’s birth, Tate launched "Turner 250" which is a year-long festival. Among them, is Turner's global touring exhibition, "J M W Turner: Echoes of Sublime.", which will be moved to Taiwan in June this year. Will be the third stop in the world after Monaco and Shanghai. It will include up to 80 original masterpieces by J.M.W. Turner, including over 40 oil paintings, which fully reflect his wonderful creative process throughout his life. It can be called the most important art feast in Taiwan this year!

 

From private collections to national art museums, an art institution that breaks traditional thinking.

The Tate Britain was founded in 1897 by Sir Henry Tate, a Liverpool wholesale grocer merchant. In the early years, it developed in the direction of the National Gallery, and now there are four art museums in the UK, including the oldest Tate Britain, the Tate Liverpool, the art center of northern England, the Tate St Ives, which is deeply involved in the development of local culture, and the most popular Tate Modern. As the most representative and most visited Tate in the UK, its collection covers precious masterpieces from British and Western art history over the past 500 years, especially Turner. The hundreds of oil paintings and tens of thousands of watercolors and sketches donated by Turner before his death have attracted the most attention and are a must-visit attraction for the world. In recent years, the Tate has made innovations with thematic planning that break the boundaries of time, making it one of the most forward-looking art museums in the world.

 

The biggest scale in global history is the "J M W Turner: Tate Modern's Collection” Exhibition, which is debuting in Taiwan.

J M W Turner established a fund during his lifetime to help poor artists. This became the most important reason for the Tate to establish the "Turner Prize", the most famous art award in the UK. After his death, some of his works were bequeathed to the country, and most of them were kept in the Tate Gallery. The Tate Gallery, which has the largest collection of Turner's works, will bring 80 authentic Turner paintings this time. It is divided into seven major exhibition areas, including, Beginning in the British Landscape, Into the Mountains, Historical Sublime, Venice: City of Sublime, Storm at Sea, Sea and Sky, Late Turner: Elemental Sublime, etc., which runs through his entire creative career. To highlight the epoch-making nature of Turner's works, the Tate has selected nearly 30 works by contemporary artists for inclusion in the exhibition, creating an unprecedented, biggest, and most comprehensive Turner Exhibition.

 

Partition introduction：

| Beginning in the British Landscape

Turner’s early explorations of the British landscape that he became a passionate observer of the sublime powers of nature. It was his detailed depictions of these places that first established his reputation. The artist routinely made studies while immersed in the elements in order to truly capture the surrounding atmosphere. Upon returning to the studio, he transformed them into spectacular paintings that were a hybrid of his in-situ sketches, memory, and imagination.

 

| Into the Mountains

Following his first tour of Europe in 1802, Turner became fascinated with the dramatic scenery of the Alps. He undertook dangerous excursions through the mountains, creating sketches and watercolors to directly record his experiences.

As well as the impressive Alpine scenery, Turner was fascinated by the unique light and atmospheric qualities of the mountains. He produced thousands of elementary studies whilst observing the colours found in the reflections of sky, snow, and water. Through this process, he began to apply bold and unexpected colours to create striking effects. His mastery of light and colour inspired the likes of Monet and the French Impressionists, and the consequences of his innovative approach have affected generations of international artists.

 

|Historical Sublime

History paintings memorialise their subject, bringing mythological or biblical stories to life and retelling historical events. Turner’s generation considered history painting the most prestigious form of High Art, and they were usually painted in a classical and picturesque style. Turner was well regarded for his mastery of the genre and his movement away from this established approach. He took classical scenes and applied pioneering painting techniques to create pictures that were sympathetic to the emerging taste for less idealised, more emotionally affecting pictures. The resulting artworks were not only admired by the Turner’s contemporaries, but they have continued to awe audiences in the centuries since.

 

| Venice: City of Sublime

Among Venice’s many distinguished artistic visitors, Turner remains one of the few to find a true echo of his own sensibility in the unique qualities of this sublime floating city. His career was remarkable for its successes and its innovations, yet his images of Venice were quickly recognised by their first viewers as some of his most magical and luminous works. Turner’s vision remains as vital today, expressing as it does the beauty and melancholy of the experience of Venice, constantly under threat of being reclaimed by the sea.

 

|Storm at Sea

Seascapes account for more than half of Turner’s works and include paintings of whaling ships, fishing boats, shipwrecks, and battles. These works are among his most powerful and evocative, capturing the danger of the ocean and man’s powerlessness in the face of this unstoppable force.

 

|Sea and Sky

As well as acknowledging the fierce power of the elements, Turner’s paintings also highlight their poetic and hypnotic qualities. In addition to his paintings, Turner made hundreds of close studies of details such as wispy clouds, energetic sea spray and cresting waves, which when viewed together convey a profound reverence for the infinite detail of both sea and sky.

 

|Late Turner: Elemental Sublime

Towards the end of his life, Turner created a number of paintings and studies which exist as purely elemental depictions of light and atmosphere. These abstracted pieces, which include very few figurative or topographic elements, would have been regarded by his contemporaries as ‘unfinished’. However, the sheer number of these atmospheric studies that remained in Turner’s studio suggest the artist had completed them to a level with which he was satisfied. These pieces in particular, completed for his own satisfaction rather than the criticism of his peers, epitomise the late style which earnt Turner his reputation as a prophet of modern painting.

 

The most complete global touring exhibition of Turner's works in history, debut in Taiwan.

Elizabeth Brooke, Senior Project Curator, at Tate says ”

This exhibition journeys through Joseph Mallord William Turner’s representations of the natural world, from his landscapes to the elementary explorations of light and atmosphere of which he was a pioneer and master.

Turner’s decisive influence on painting and by extension on the representation of the Sublime in Western art, will be portrayed throughout the exhibition in dialogue with around thirty works by leading modern and contemporary artists including John Akomfrah, Olafur Eliasson, Richard Long, Cornelia Parker, Katie Paterson, Mark Rothko and Jessica Warboys.

The combination of presenting over 100 precious works by Turner, including over 40 oil paintings, alongside realizing some complex contemporary installations, is quite an undertaking for even the most ambitious partner institution. While the process required overcoming many challenges, we feel deeply honored to bring this collection to Taiwan in collaboration with UDN. The exhibition is even more meaningful as 2025 marks the 250th anniversary of Turner’s birth, making this summer’s showcase a truly special event. Among the highlights, 《Blue Rigi, Sunrise》 will return to the Tate Modern for a 10-year -rest after this touring exhibition concludes. We encourage everyone to seize this rare opportunity to witness Turner's brilliance firsthand before this masterpiece is tucked away for the next decade!”

Pre-sale tickets will be available exclusively on the udn ticketing network on Turner’s birthday, April 23. Details on the "J M W Turner: Tate Modern's Collection”, including exhibition highlights and ticketing information, will be gradually released on our official website, Facebook, and Instagram. Stay tuned for updates!