JMW Turner: Sea View

Sea View is a tapestry interpretation of a watercolour by the Romantic British painter, Joseph Mallard William Turner (1775-1851). The painting of the same name is held in the collection of the National Galleries of Scotland. Transforming watercolour to tapestry, Sea View is a stunning example of the skill and artistry of Dovecot weavers. 

JMW Turner was a modern thinker and artist who captured scenes of modernity and reflected the changing landscape of Britain. Sea View c.1826 is a watercolour by Turner that, although small in scale (the original artwork is only 13.5 x 19cm) captures a bounding energy and threatening yet hopeful view of the ocean. Water and its representation in tapestry has challenged weavers since the 15th century, and since its founding in 1912, Dovecot has approached these challenges using 20th century techniques including subtle colour blending, a bolder warp setting, and weaving from the front of the loom.

Sea View marks the final piece created as part of Elaine Wilson’s three-year weaving apprenticeship at Dovecot Studios. This tapestry has allowed for a transference of skills, and it brings a new understanding and interpretation of Turner’s painterly approach through the medium of Scottish tapestry.