John Martin at Tate Britain

An exhibition of works by John Martin at Tate Britain seeks to showcase work by one of the most popular artists of the 18th and 19th century. Spurned by the Royal Academy and the more elitist artists, Martin appealed to the masses with his epic paintings of Biblical scenes and apocalyptic destruction.

John Martin at Tate Britain
Bringing his work back into the public arena after thirty since his last major exhibition, the show by John Martin at Tate Britain is the largest showcase of his work since the early 1800s. Featuring his most famous paintings, brought together from around the world along with newly restored and previously unseen pieces, the exhibition is set to rethink critical opinions of the artist and re-examine his influence on art and cinema.

Biblical talents
Following his career from his early days as a herald painter to his position as one of the most widely exhibited artists of the 19th centruy, John Martin at Tate Britain includes some of his most spectacular oil paintings. The renowned Belshazzar's Feast, which has not been seen in public for 20 years, and The Great Day of His Wrath are both included in the show, as will his illustrations for The Bible and Milton's Paradise Lost.

Popular outsider
Despite his mass appeal, John Martin remained an outsider to the established art community, being scorned by the likes of John Ruskin and William Wordsworth. But his dramatic landscapes and fantastical figures appealled greatly to the public and even to Prince Albert, the Bronte sisters, Charles Dickens and Edward Bulwer-Lytton. By showcasing his work as more populist venues such as the Egyptian Hall in Piccadilly, Martin took his work straight to the masses rather than attempting to woo the critics and academics of his day. Examining the full wealth of his material, the exhibition by John Martin at Tate Britain looks at where he fits into the story of British art, and how his work still has influence today.

John Martin at Tate Britain takes place from 10am - 6pm 21st September 2011 - 15th January 2012. Tickets for the exhibition cost £12.00 - £14.00.

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