About
William Turner was born on April 23, 1775 in Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, London, England. His
father, William Gay Turner, was a barber and wig maker while his mother became very mentally
unstable. This was most likely because his younger sister, Helen, passed away. His mother, Mary
Marshall, passed away after being admitted to an asylum. After that he went to live with his uncle in
Brentford (town outside of London). This is where he first started expressing his love for painting,
and started drawing. At just the age of 14, Turner was enrolled into the Royal Academy of Art
Schools. He was first interested in architecture, but architect Thomas Hardwick, his first mentor,
advised him to keep painting as well. The next year he was entered into a summer exhibition for
one of his watercolor paintings. After 1796, he exhibited about every year at the academy. Turner
was best known for his oil paintings because he is known as “the painter of light”. Most of his
support came from Walter Ramsden Fawkes, of Farnley Hall because they became such great
friends and he was so intrigued by him and the area when they first met. Once his father passed
away, he became depressed. He never married, but had two children by Sarah Danby. He passed
away on December 19, 1851 in his mistresses house.
