Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775-1851) – Passau, Germany, at the Confluence of the Rivers Inn and Danube, Photo. National Gallery of Ireland
The National Gallery of Ireland’s annual exhibition of watercolours by J.M.W. Turner opens today and runs through January 2026. In 2026, the Gallery’s annual display of the Vaughan Bequest of Turner watercolours is enriched by the inclusion of a selection of watercolours and prints by artists who looked to Turner for inspiration.
The English artist Hercules Brabazon Brabazon (1821-1906) made regular sketching trips to Europe and his colourful watercolours reflect Turner’s style and techniques. The work of Brabazon and other nineteenth-century artists including William Callow (1812-1908), John Faulkner (1835-1894) and James H. Burgess (1819-1890) underlines the huge influence Turner had on his contemporaries, and continues to have on artists today. Prints by Irish artists Jennifer Lane (b.1952) and Niall Naessens (b.1961) show them paying homage to the master. Together, these diverse works of art illustrate how Turner has always been a forceful presence, inspiring artists to create new and exciting work.
In 2026 the gallery welcomes back its much-loved watercolours following their loan to the National Galleries of Scotland in January 2025.
