William Turner in Lucerne

“The Blue Rigi, Sunrise” 1842 JMW Turner

I visited Lucerne to see the special exhibition, “Turner. The Sea and the Alps”, featuring works by the famous painter J.M.W. Turner.  I arrived in the morning before the museum opened, so I decided to hike along the city’s 14th century wall, the Museggmauer. You can climb three of its nine towers. Of course, I climbed them all! My mother in law doesn’t call me Bambi for nothing. (Not because I’m cute, alright, just because I have an urge to climb steep things. Deer like climbing things.)

Back to the exhibition. Have you seen the movie “Mr. Turner”, directed by Mike Leigh? That’s where I first became acquainted with the painter. The movie is also a work of art.

Between 1802 and 1844, Turner travelled to Switzerland six times. Until then people just saw the Alps as a hurdle to overcome to get to the South. Few landscape painters had given it much attention. Turner loved painting water and mountains, so Switzerland was obviously the place for him.

He travelled Switzerland sketching and painting with watercolours. The first impression you get when viewing his work is one of atmosphere. He was quoted saying: “Atmosphere is my style.” You may think it’s impressionistic. But then you start noticing the Romanticism, the rich details, some showing how people lived in those times.

One of Turner’s favourite subjects was Mount Rigi, which you can see across the lake from Luzern. His watercolour painting, “The Blue Rigi, Sunrise” 1842, gives me such a sublime and peaceful feeling.

Turner could truly paint the way he experienced a scene. Which brings me to his oil painting, “Snow Storm - Steam-Boat off a Harbour’s Mouth”. This one really made me feel like I was caught in the vortex of the storm myself. “I did not paint... to be understood. I wished to show what such a scene was like.” – JWM Turner

Snow Storm - Steam-Boat off a Harbour’s Mouth by JMW Turner

Afterwards I went to pay his muse, old Rigi, a visit myself. I crossed the lake from Lucerne to Vitznau by boat. Then I took the Rigi Bahn, a charming little cogwheel train on Europe’s first mountain railway. It took us literally into the clouds. So, the view was not clear, but the experience was surely enjoyable.

Bicycle in Lake Lucerne

The Rigi Bahn in the clouds