The Yale Center for British Art will host a two-day online symposium "J. M. W. Turner | State of the Field" on September 22 and 23, 2023.

This symposium will consider the state and meaning of scholarship on J. M. W. Turner (1775–1851), one of Britain’s most celebrated artists. Thinking through the extensive Turner historiography, this symposium will explore some of the key ideas, underlying assumptions, and future directions of research. Panelists will consider the place of their research within the broader field of British studies.

To join us on Friday, September 22, please register here: https://yale.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_16Y3afjrQAWbXwAEgB5QOw#/registration
To join us on Saturday, September 23, please register here: https://yale.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ln8eseVETWW3kLUSp10ynQ#/registration

Program (all times EST):

Friday, September 22

9–9:10 am
Welcome
Courtney J. Martin, Yale Center for British Art

9:10–9:25 am
Introduction: Turner in 2025 at the Yale Center for British Art
Lucinda Lax, Yale Center for British Art

9:25–10:25 am
Keynote Conversation
Amy Concannon, Tate Britain, in conversation with Richard Johns, University of York. Moderated by Tim Barringer, Yale University

10:25–10:35 am
Break

10:35–11:55 am
Panel 1: Works on Paper and in the Environment
"Turner’s Pencil: Graphite Landscapes and Extractive Industry" - Tobah Aukland-Peck, The Graduate Center, CUNY
"'To be broken up': Turner, English Landscape, and the Anthropo(s)cenic - Frédéric Ogée, Université Paris Cité
"A Historiographical Lacuna: Turner’s Prints" - Gillian Forrester, independent scholar

11:55 am – 12:05 pm
Break

12:05–1:25 pm
Panel 2: Sharing Turner
"Technical Studies for Turner: How Well Do We Share Knowledge?" - Joyce Townsend, Tate Britain
"The J. M. W. Turner Database: New Approaches to Documenting Turner for the 21st Century" - Ian Warrell, independent scholar, and David Hill, University of Leeds
"Cataloging Turner’s Sketchbooks, Drawings, and Watercolours" - Turner Cataloging staff, Tate Britain

Saturday, September 23

9:00–9:05 am
Welcome

9:05–10:05 am
Panel 3: Early Turner
"Whither Early Turner?" - Leo Costello, Rice University
"J. M. W. Turner and the Landed Estate" - John Bonehill, University of Glasgow

10:05–10:15 am
Break

10:15–11:15 am
Panel 4: Curating Turner
"Turner at Petworth: Past Approaches and Future Directions" - Emily Knight, National Trust
"The Young Turner: Ambitions in Architecture and the Art of Perspective" - Helen Cobby, Bath Spa University

11:15–11:25 am
Break

11:25 am – 12:45 pm
Panel 5: Varied Approaches: Language, Economy, and Ecology
"The Ecological Turn(er)" - Sarah Gould, Université Paris 1, Panthéon Sorbonne
"'The Sun is God': Turner, Angerstein, and Insurance" - Matthew Hunter, McGill University
"Translating Turner: The French Edition of the Correspondence" - Aurélie Petiot, Université Paris Nanterre