Joseph Mallord William Turner was a British painter, watercolourist and printmaker. He was born on 23 April 1775 in London and died on 19 December 1851 in Chelsea. By the age of twelve, Turner was selling his watercolours and drawings. His educational background was sketchy and he was not a great scholar; however, he had a distinct personality, both sociable and wild, and he spoke very little. A few poems he wrote on his own often accompanied the paintings he exhibited. However, it was not through words that he showed his true personality. It is true that Turner, throughout his life, was captivated by his love of painting, and completely overwhelmed by his talent. Elected to the Royal Academy in 1802, he remained a dedicated worker throughout his life, and is described as a hard worker. An avid and curious tourist, Turner painted thousands of diverse landscapes, to which he never gave an exact title. Primarily a painter in the English Romantic vein, his work is distinguished by a courageous and inventive research that may make the man known as "the painter of light"; he is considered a precursor of Impressionism. Fort Vimieux and The fighting temeraire demonstrate this attraction to vivid colours.

Turner is regarded by the English as the master of his art. Many revered and expensive works enriched the artist. However, he did not seek wealth and towards the end of his career he sought to be alone: he left his house in Queen Anne Street, built in 1812, cut off all contact with the world and changed his name. He moved to a humble home in Chelsea, on the opposite side of Westminster. He spent the rest of his life there, in total isolation, inaccessible, unknown even to the hotelier who was able to accommodate the artist. He bequeathed his paintings to the nation, and PS200,000 to create an asylum for poor artists. The National Gallery in London contains 412 of his works.