Traditional Turner on show in January

Joseph Mallord William Turner’s watercolours from the Scottish national collection will be exhibited throughout the month of January, free for the public to enjoy at the National Gallery of Scotland.

Turner in January is a beloved tradition for many people in Scotland but it is not unique as other watercolours will be shown at the National Gallery of Ireland at the same time.

Scotland’s famous collection of Turner watercolours was left to the nation by the great art collector Henry Vaughan in 1900. Since then, following Vaughan’s strict guidelines, they have only ever been displayed during the month of January, when natural light levels are at their lowest. Because of this, these watercolours still possess a freshness and an intensity of colour, almost 200 years since they were originally created.   

With almost 40 watercolours on display, including dramatic landscapes from the Himalayas, the Swiss Alps, and the Isle of Skye, visitors will journey through Britain, Europe and beyond, leaving behind January blues in favor of Turner’s idyllic views of the world. Turner in January will also include a Smartify audio highlights guide, a brand-new addition to the exhibition for 2024. Freely available on their devices, visitors can immerse themselves further into Turner’s work through this highlighted guided tour of the exhibition, giving fresh insights and expanding on what is presented on the gallery walls.  

Charlotte Topsfield, Senior Curator of British Drawings and Prints at National Galleries of Scotland said: “Henry Vaughan personally selected the watercolours in the bequest to share the full range and richness of Turner’s work with the widest audience. From early landscape drawings to glorious colour studies, delicate literary illustrations and visionary late watercolours, Vaughan’s Turners wonderfully demonstrate the artist’s infinite creativity and technical skill. Putting the Turner watercolours on show is a highlight of my year and I hope that it brings everyone else as much pleasure.”

Scotland’s famous collection of Turner watercolours was left to the nation by the great art collector Henry Vaughan in 1900. Since then, following Vaughan’s strict guidelines, they have only ever been displayed during the month of January, when natural light levels are at their lowest. Because of this, these watercolours still possess a freshness and an intensity of colour, almost 200 years since they were originally created. Almost 40 works will form the display, including dramatic landscapes from the Himalayas, the Swiss Alps, and the Isle of Skye. Journeying through Britain, Europe, and beyond, this mesmerising exhibition captures the life and career of this beloved artist. Pic caption: Lauren Mallin of National Galleries of Scotland get a preview of the Turner watercolours. PHOTO Neil Hanna