“Peace – Burial at Sea,” an artwork by J.M.W. Turner created circa 1842, is an oil painting on canvas measuring 87 by 86.5 centimeters. This piece, representative of the Romanticism movement, portrays a maritime scene and is housed in the Tate Modern in London, UK.
The artwork depicts a solemn and atmospheric maritime scene, characterized by Turner’s masterful use of light and shade to evoke a haunting sense of peace and reverence. Dominated by a large, dark ship billowing smoke against a backdrop of a tempestuous sky, the composition utilizes a somber palette of muted tones. The incandescent glow on the ship and the reflective, serene quality of the water contrasts with the misty, foreboding expanse of the horizon, embodying the Romantic fascination with nature’s sublime and transient beauty. The mood, enhanced by Turner’s ethereal brushwork, invites contemplation and evokes the poignant finality of burial at sea.
