Published to coincide with the 250th anniversary of Turner’s birth, J.M.W. Turner’s ‘The Battle of Trafalgar’: Commemoration and Controversy explores the compelling history of Turner’s largest painting and his only royal commission. 

The Battle of Trafalgar is one of the most famous pictures in the collection of Royal Museums Greenwich, yet its story is surprisingly complex. This book charts the painting’s tumultuous journey, from the challenges that Turner faced during its creation and the storm of criticism that greeted its unveiling to its eventual place at the centre of a national art collection.  

J.M.W. Turner’s ‘The Battle of Trafalgar’: Commemoration and Controversy is part of the Royal Museums Greenwich Spotlight series, accessible introductions to some of the most intriguing objects in the collection.