Sunset

Sunset on the Thames near the Red House, Battersea

The claim that this is JMW Turner's first oil originates with Thornbury who gives the source as a manuscript by Edward Bell, engraver, communicated to Thornbury by C. H. Adhurst

Thornbury dates the encounter at 1795 but goes on to say that Bell Accompanied Turner on the Walker commission tour in 1793.

The 'introduction', if it took place just before the Walker commission would be after the 1793 RA Exhibition. Bell's catalogue for that exhibition shows no sign that he knew Turner. The catalogue is annotated but Turner's three exhibits only by leading and trailing dashes. (see: RA AND/8/196). References in Miller and Finberg place the Kent Tour for the Walker commission in August 1793.

Turner exhibited in oil in the 1793 exhibition so the notion that 'Sunset on the Thames near the Red House, Battersea' was Turner's first attempt in oil is clearly wrong. (Turner's self portrait age 16 was also painted in oil - in 1792).