Mer de Glace, in the Valley of Chamouni, Switzerland 1803

Joseph Mallord William Turner made this watercolor of Mer de Glace, in the Valley of Chamouni, Switzerland. Turner was celebrated for his innovative use of watercolor, a medium often associated with preliminary sketches, not finished works. Here, he transforms it into something monumental. The way he layers and blends the pigment gives the scene a palpable sense of atmosphere. Notice how the fluid washes create depth and convey the sheer scale and ruggedness of the glacial landscape. Watercolor was a very accessible medium, available from colormen who sold artists' supplies to middle-class amateur painters. It allowed Turner to capture light and movement in ways that oil paint, often commissioned by wealthy patrons, struggled to achieve. This democratic quality of the medium allowed artists to make a living from their artwork without relying on patronage. Turner elevates a humble material to capture the sublime, challenging the traditional hierarchy of artistic mediums. In doing so, he invites us to reconsider what constitutes ‘high’ art.