THE NATIONAL Galleries of Scotland are kicking off the new year with a never-before-seen exhibition in collaboration with their Irish counterpart.
To commemorate his 250th birthday, they will display 30 pieces by renowned British artist JMW Turner.
These pieces are part of a swap with the National Gallery of Ireland, and have never been displayed in Scotland before.
The Romantic painter’s watercolour landscapes feature various locations across the UK, including the view of Edinburgh from below Arthur’s Seat which has never been seen in the city before.
The Turner in January exhibition, which opened on New Year’s Day in the Royal Scottish Academy building, is an annual tradition that has taken place since 1901.
The show is made possible thanks to prolific art collector Henry Vaughan, who owned over 200 pieces of Turner’s work, which he divided between Edinburgh, Dublin and London.
Edinburgh received 38 works of art, which were gifted on the condition that they are only displayed in January as this is when light levels are at their lowest, giving the paintings a certain intensity of colour.
There will be a simultaneous exhibition in Dublin, where Scotland’s Vaughan Bequest will go on display, allowing locals to see pieces they haven’t had access to before.
JMW Turner is one of the most influential landscape painters of the 19th century, and is the namesake of the Turner Prize, founded in 1984.
His panoramic of Edinburgh, completed in 1801, was captured on his first visit to the city that year.
It shows dark clouds hovering over Edinburgh castle, and cows grazing on the surrounding untouched fields and hills.
Other landscapes on display depict scenes from Switzerland, Venice, and Devon and will be displayed in their original frames alongside Henry Vaughan’s original display cabinet.
Charlotte Topsfield, exhibition curator at the National Galleries of Scotland, said: “Exchanging Vaughan Bequest Turners is an idea that Edinburgh and Dublin have been discussing for a long time.
“We are so excited to be working together on this historic swap in Turner’s anniversary year.
“It will be such a marvelous celebration for the people of Scotland to enjoy – a real once in a lifetime opportunity to commemorate a very special painter.”
Anne Hodge, exhibition curator at the National Gallery of Ireland said: “I am delighted that in January 2025 visitors to the National Galleries Scotland will be able to see Turner’s wonderfully expressive vision of a rainy Edinburgh along with all 31 watercolours that Henry Vaughan decided to leave to Dublin.
“It is a great privilege for me to have worked so closely with colleagues in Edinburgh to make this project a reality.”
