I arrived at Tate Britain a little earlier today, 10:30am rather that 11:00am and it was not just the luck of the trains.

I was intent on focusing on the later part of the exhibition so bypassed that throng in the initial rooms.

I noticed that the florescent lights were not switched on in two of the final rooms but I don't know if that was an accident or that I simply had not noticed on previous visits!

John Constable,
A Cottage at East Bergholt,
C.1836,
oil on canvas,
87.5 x 112 cm,
National Museums Liverpool, Lady Lever Art Gallery

John Constable,
Stoke-by-Nayland,
c.1835-7,
oil on canvas,
126 x 169 cm,
The Art Institute of Chicago, Mr. and Mrs. W.W. Kimball Collection, 1922.4453

JMW Turner,
Mercury Sent to Admonish Aeneas,
exhibited 1850,
oil on canvas,
90.2 x 120 cm

JMW Turner,
St Benedetto, Looking towards Fusina,
exhibited 1843,
oil on canvas,
62.2 x 92.7 cm

I had the impression that the exhibition 'focus' slightly ran out of 'steam' with the later works. I got the sense that the grand statement paintings were left behind so that both artists pursued slight less formulaic works. I was amused by the (South?) Shields painting By Turner not least as I had visited the staithes there which were used when the railways had been established, for transferring coal to the ships. The painting is somewhat 'slick' and may be a source of many derivations!

I'll hope to get back to the exhibition again before it closes on 12th April but have other committments in the meantime!

Today I had to take a break from looking at the paintings during my visit. I had a short visual aura migraine which makes looking at anything very difficult!

JMW Turner,
Keelmen Heaving in Coals by Moonlight,
exhibited 1835,
oil on canvas,
92.3 x 122.8 cm,
National Gallery of Art, Washington, Widener Collection, 1942.9.86

John Constable
The White Horse
exhibited 1819
oil on canvas
(detail)

This was my final visit and I combined it with getting the big camera's sensor cleaned across the river at Fixation, Kennington Lane. The detail images today are from the iPhone 16!

JMW Turner
Caligula's Palace and Bridge
exhibited 1831
oil on canvas
(detail)

I am very glad to have taken the opportunity to see this exhibition which has put the works in 'perspective'!

John Constable
Waterloo Bridge (Whitehall Stairs, June 18th, 1817)
exhibited 1832
oil on canvas
(detail)

A casual observation that I might make is to compare the close-up handling of the 'paint' with Anselm Kiefer's contemporary works!

JMW Turner
The Thames above Waterloo Bridge
c.1830-5
oil on canvas
(detail)