Linlithgow Palace 

Joseph Mallord William Turner created this oil painting of Linlithgow Palace, though the date is unknown. Turner, of course, was celebrated for his manipulation of oil paint, and here he deploys it to masterful effect. See how the stone of the castle itself almost seems to dissolve into the sky, a contrast to the dark, almost impenetrable mass of trees in the foreground. Turner was fascinated by the power of nature, and you can see that in the dynamic brushwork. Paint is the raw material for these atmospheric effects, applied in thin, translucent layers. We know that Turner would sometimes use his own saliva to achieve the luminosity he wanted – a very personal process. While he is lionized today as a fine artist, it is important to remember that he honed his skills as a commercial engraver, often working in series for publishers. This piece embodies an important shift, where the ‘crafted’ skill of painting comes to be regarded as high art.