Joseph Mallord William Turner, or J.M.W. Turner is one of the best landscape artists in history. He is known as the "painter of light" because of the otherworldly vibe he managed to include in his paintings. Joseph Mallord William Turner paintings are always sought after and could cost millions.

Born in 1775 in England, JMW Turner devoted almost his whole life in improving his painting skills. His mother passed away when Turner was young.He was raised by his father who worked as a barber. The young Turner was not able to receive formal education, and was taught to read by his father. What he lacked in formal schooling, he made up for with his talent for drawing and painting. When he was 13 years old, he was already creating well-made pieces. His paintings were display on the windows of his father’s barber shop for people to buy.

Eventually, word got around of this young teen's ability to paint. When he was 15, his paintings were displayed at the prestigious Royal Academy – a rare and amazing feat. This led to his meteoric rise to success. He set up his personal studio at 18. Even before he turned 20 years old, many art connoisseurs were already buying his paintings. His success did not end there. He was elected as Royal Academy associate and he achieved status as a full time member at 27. This is truly an impressive achievement for a young man.

Due to his success, he was able to have the means to travel around Europe. Many Joseph Mallord William Turner paintings depict lovely landscapes, and these were inspired by his trips around Europe. He enjoyed seeing the sights, and had always been able to find ways to capture the beauty that he saw. In fact, Venice was one of the places that inspired him the most, and his landscapes depicted much of Venice's beauty.

If you were asked to describe any of the Joseph Mallord William Turner paintings, you would probably say that they were mostly about landscapes. But these paintings were not just typical landscape paintings. They were not just direct images of sceneries; JWM Turner was able to add a type of romantic interpretation to the scenes – a kind of mystical feel to them. Joseph Mallord William Turner paintings seem to bath in a golden glow, a sense of light, and many have been drawn to these depictions, hence the moniker – "painter of light."

Joseph Mallord William Turner paintings are mostly done in oil, but he is also well known for being the English founder of landscape paintings using watercolor. Some of his popular works include "Rain, Steam and Speed," "The Grand Canal," and of course, his inspiration, "Venice."

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