Facts about The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons

1. 05

   In composition, The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons depicts the fire reflected dramatically across the River Thames, emphasizing light and atmosphere over architectural detail.

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2. 04

   A fire caused by the overheating of tally sticks in a furnace beneath the House of Lords ignited the catastrophic blaze that Turner immortalized in The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons.

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3. 03

   Turner sketched the spectacular blaze from the south bank of the Thames on the night of 16 October 1834, filling pages of watercolor studies on the spot.

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4. 02

   Both versions of The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons are housed in major American museums, one in Philadelphia and one in Cleveland.

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5. 01

   J.M.W. Turner witnessed the dramatic fire of 1834 and produced two celebrated oil paintings depicting The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons.

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