OFFERS ~O~ The discovery of JMW Turner's oil on canvas exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1793 ~O~ OFFERS

'The rising squall, hot wells, from St. Vincent's rock, Bristol'.

The picture has been identified by evidence collected and set out in this document.

• If this picture is dismissed due to professional arrogance then the academic world loses insight into one of the world's leading artists.

Before making an offer please assess the evidence and the risk.

• Please read the entire attribution presentation including footnotes and external references.
• Please ensure that you e-mail any issues and receive satisfatory response.
• Please ensure that you read the negative comments section [HERE]. Comments are presented anonymously and generalised.

Given its controversial nature it is unlikely that there will ever be 100% agreement that the picture is Turner's 'The rising squall, hot wells, from St. Vincent's rock, Bristol' of 1793.

• The picture disappeared immediately after the 1793 exhibition and resurfaced in 2018 without explanation and has no provenance for the period of its disappearance.
• The one positive, unique and distinctive identifying feature is the almost mirror image of Turner's otherwise singular, unique, depiction of St. Vincent's Rock as it appears on one definitive Turner watercolour D00389, part of the Turner Bequest.
• Evidence that 'The rising squall, hot wells, from St. Vincent's rock, Bristol' was the oil exhibited in 1793 is very strong but is not evidence that the present picture is that oil.

The picture is in poor condition.

• Cleaning and resoration will be challenging and expensive.
• Damage caused by reduction in size is permanent so the picture cannot be restored to its condition as the original exhibit.
• An advantage is that, as an artifact, it is likely to be all Turner's oringinal work thus providing an opportunity for forensic scientific study.

However, the value of this picture lies in its unique status of being Turner's first oil on canvas exhibit at a Royal Academy Exhibition. It was painted when Turner was 17. It marks Turner's transition from watercolour to oil. (Later oils are, generally, bigger, more numerous for any given subject and stylistically more advanced. )

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