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JMW Turner's 'Self-Portrait' on £20 Note Likely by John Opie, Expert Claims

cultural-heritage · 2026-05-14

Dr James Hamilton, a leading Turner biographer, has argued that the iconic portrait of JMW Turner held by Tate Britain—featured on the £20 note—is not a self-portrait but likely the work of John Opie. The painting, dated c.1799 when Turner was 24, was misattributed after being included in the Turner Bequest following the artist's death in 1851. Hamilton points to stylistic similarities with Opie's known works, such as a portrait in the San Diego Museum of Art, and notes that Opie painted many artists of the era. He calls on Tate to reattribute the work, publishing his research in the spring issue of Turner Society News. Dr Pieter van der Merwe, chair of the Turner Society, finds the case plausible but speculative, while Dr Selby Whittingham, a Turner scholar, disagrees, citing the painting's light tonality as characteristic of Turner. A Tate spokesperson welcomed the research but made no commitment to change the attribution.

Key facts

  • Dr James Hamilton claims the famous portrait of JMW Turner is by John Opie, not Turner.
  • The painting is dated c.1799 and is part of the Tate collection.
  • It was used as the basis for Turner's image on the £20 note, launched in 2020 at Tate Britain.
  • Hamilton's research appears in the spring issue of Turner Society News.
  • Stylistic evidence includes similarity to Opie's portrait of an unidentified young man at San Diego Museum of Art.
  • The portrait was misattributed after being lumped into the Turner Bequest following Turner's death in 1851.
  • Turner Society chair Pieter van der Merwe calls the case 'plausible but speculative'.
  • Turner scholar Selby Whittingham disagrees, citing the painting's light tonality as characteristic of Turner.
  • Tate says it welcomes new ideas but does not commit to reattribution.
  • Hamilton challenges Tate to provide evidence if they maintain the self-portrait attribution.

Entities

Artists

  • JMW Turner
  • John Opie
  • David Wilkie
  • Thomas Girtin

Institutions

  • Tate Britain
  • Tate
  • National Gallery
  • Bank of England
  • Turner Society
  • Turner Society News
  • San Diego Museum of Art
  • Manchester Art Gallery
  • The Guardian

Locations

  • London
  • San Diego
  • United States
  • United Kingdom
  • Queen Anne Street

Sources