Turner's Odyssey Painting Debuts at York Art Gallery in Flaxman Exhibition
At York Art Gallery, a J.M.W. Turner artwork titled Ulysses Deriding Polyphemus – Homer's Odyssey is currently showcased, courtesy of the National Gallery. This piece is featured in the exhibition Turner, Wedgwood & Beyond: Inspired by Flaxman, which opens on Friday and includes over 100 artworks. The event marks the 200th anniversary of the passing of John Flaxman, an artist from York, emphasizing his significant impact. Dr. Beatrice Bertram, the senior curator, seeks to celebrate Flaxman's legacy, recalling his historical acclaim for sculptures and illustrations related to Homer's narratives. Co-curator Richard Johns noted that the exhibition's launch aligns with a new Christopher Nolan film, which adds to the interest in the Odyssey. It will be available until 17 January 2027.
Key facts
- Turner's Ulysses Deriding Polyphemus – Homer's Odyssey is on loan from the National Gallery to York Art Gallery
- The exhibition Turner, Wedgwood & Beyond: Inspired by Flaxman opens at York Art Gallery on Friday
- The show features more than 100 works and marks the 200th anniversary of John Flaxman's death
- John Flaxman was a York-born artist known for sculptures and designs, including illustrations of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey
- Senior curator Dr Beatrice Bertram said the show aims to give Flaxman renewed attention
- Co-curator Richard Johns of the University of York said the exhibition was not planned around Christopher Nolan's Odyssey film, calling it a 'happy accident'
- Curators say Flaxman's sketches influenced Turner's painting, with outlines of horses in the sunset and a cyclops shadow
- The exhibition will be on display until 17 January 2027
Entities
Artists
- J.M.W. Turner
- John Flaxman
- Homer
- Christopher Nolan
- Beatrice Bertram
- Richard Johns
- Odysseus
- Polyphemus
Institutions
- York Art Gallery
- National Gallery
- University of York
- BBC
- BBC Sounds
Locations
- York
- United Kingdom
- North Yorkshire
- Greece