Turner at 250: why Britain's most influential artist still matters

2025 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Joseph Mallord William Turner, widely celebrated as Britain's greatest landscape painter. --YOUR NEXT EPISODE:The untold story of Picasso's muses--Yet, beyond the familiar image of the "painter of light", Turner was a complex figure whose radical art often baffled his contemporaries.Tom Gatti meets the New Statesman’s art critic, Michael Prodger, to explore why Turner still matters – and how themes in his work like the power of nature, the impact of technology, and national identity resonate profoundly today. READ: The second birth of JMW Turner, by Michael Prodgerhttps://www.newstatesman.com/culture/art-design/2025/04/the-second-birth-of-jmw-turnerLISTEN AD-FREEDownload the New Statesman app: iOS / AndroidSTAY IN TOUCHGet our best writing every weekend in The Saturday Read email newsletterSUBSCRIBEGet full access to the New Statesman by becoming a subscriberLISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.