1848
watercolor
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Dominant colour
Lauerzersee with the Mythens is a 1848 watercolor by Joseph Mallord William Turner, a Romanticism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
You see a soft, misty lake ringed by jagged mountains under a pale sky. Turner painted this years after he stood by the real lake. He worked from memory and a small sketch, letting the colors blur like wet paper. The mountains almost dissolve into the air—no sharp lines, just light and mood. Some say he used his fingers to smudge the paint, making the scene feel like a dream. If you like this, try more works by Turner, Joseph Mallord William (RA).
This watercolour depicts a Swiss lake scene, featuring a shepherd tending to goats in the foreground. Executed late in Turner’s career, it was developed in the studio from a 1843 sketchbook study, relying on the artist’s memory and observational skill. The work belongs to a series of Swiss watercolours that mark a significant phase in Turner’s later output. Despite its seemingly loose technique, the composition reflects careful planning and refinement.
Read the full account in the museum source.
Joseph Mallord William Turner was born in 1775 at Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, where his father kept a barber and wig-making shop.
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