Art analysis of "The Field of Waterloo"’ by JMW Turner (1775-1851)

This painting, by the great 19th century artist Joseph Mallord William Turner, depicts the battlefield of Waterloo and the terrible casualties inflicted during the fighting. The aftermath of Waterloo held a morbid fascination for many artists, providing as it did a terrible spectacle and a scene of human suffering that rather fitted the moralising and sentimental attitudes of the age. However, historical accuracy was important and depictions of Waterloo such as this required considerable amounts of work to ensure that the finished piece was as accurate as possible.This scene perhaps appealed partly for the dramatic and artistic effects, as shown by Turner’s use of light and shade. The scene, as Turner presents it, is lit by an electrical storm, spotlighting parts of the field and leaving others in near darkness. Just as Hay described, the bodies of the fallen are so tightly packed it is hard to distinguish where one ends and another starts, and it is often impossible to distinguish which side these men fought on. In the foreground, women are mourning lost loved ones, or else still searching by torchlight for a missing husband or lover. Several have children with them, reinforcing the pathos of the scene and reminding the viewer how deeply the loss of each life would be felt. It almost borders on a romantic notion of war, sentimentalised and overly dramatic. The light in the piece could suggest a symbolic nature such as the wrath of a diving assistance of God. The piece is 1473 x 2388 mm, indicating a large size. Turner may have created such a large scale piece to create a larger impact on the viewer. Also, as it is a historical painting (because it is depicting the Napoleonic Wars) it would have to be large to echo the importance of it. This landscape, oil on canvas inspires me due to its overwhelming dark and light colours. The use of black and subtle layers of grey for smoke, contrasting with the dramatic heavenly light storm is something I want to attempt in my own work. This being the atmosphere though weather that I wish to portray. The balance of creating clouds to suggest heaviness and weight yet still maintaining a light and airy feel is also what I wish to achieve. The convincing three-dimensional space and the use of the foreground and background give the painting clear viewpoints: these being the soldiers and the smoke/lightning. ‘The Field of Waterloo’ illustrates a battle of harmony against disharmony, while also representing the limitations of the suffering and the freedom of the weather. This links to my exam theme of limitations and/or freedom, except I will attempt to portray this through my studies of sky and cloud formations.