VERMEER CANA TURNER

During a time of evolving adaptations to dated resources of
transportation, Turners painting of “The Fighting Temeraire” depicts an
accurate portrait of new machinery taking over. The 98‐gun ship
'Temeraire' played a distinguished role in Nelson's victory at the Battle
of Trafalgar in 1805, which is where the famous name of ‘Fighting
Temeraire‘ was derived from. The ship remained in service until 1838.
Temeraire was ordered from Chatham Dockyard on 9 December 1790,
designed by Surveyor of the Navy Sir John Henslow and commissioned
on 21 March 1799 under Captain Peter Puget. The ship was part
of Neptune class, along with HMS Neptune and HMS Dreadnought.
Turner has portrayed the ship being towed from
Sheerness to Rotherhithe to be broken up. The
is suggested to represent the decline of Britain's
naval power. The Victory and Temeraire
defeated Napoleon's forces with combined
tactics. Ultimately it was the Temeraire what
lead Britain to victory. The monumental ship is
contrasted by the the new steam‐powered ship
that is tugging the larger ship behind.
The old war ship towers over the new
Steam power tug, which is portrayed with
little personality. He records the sad moment in
his painting.
It was suggest the ship was pulled by two tugboats
not one, but for the sake of Turners depiction, he
only shows one. The ship is being tugged
ultimately to her death where it will soon be
broken up for scraps. The replacement of the
steam‐powered ship is smaller and more prosaic
in comparison and could move a lot quicker due to
it being powered by steam.
Turner portrays the Temeraire with lack of
vibrancy, using warm but pale colours, but quite
translucent like it has been unfinished compared
to the rest of the painting. This gives a ‘ghost ship’
appearance.
A model of the HMS Temeraire (1798)