Wide valley with a distant arched bridge, framed by tall trees, with two girls and a dog at a shallow stream

Crossing the Brook

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What you see

Two groups of trees frame the scene like stage curtains: very tall, slender trunks on the left and dense foliage on the right. Between them, the valley opens toward a hazy, faraway horizon. Below, one girl bends beside some rocks in the water, a dog wades across the brook, and another girl sits resting on the bank.

Golden browns and muted greens dominate, under a pale blue sky full of soft clouds. The light is calm and grows cooler with distance. Look for the dog’s reflection in the water and the white bundle beside the seated girl.

About J. M. W. Turner

Joseph Mallord William Turner was called “the painter of light”. He painted storms, raging seas, fog and colourful sunsets, and it is said he once had himself tied to a ship’s mast to watch a storm. He left thousands of works to his country, most of them kept today at the Tate in London.

All 10 works by J. M. W. Turner