The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons

"The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons" is the title of two mesmerizing oil paintings by J.M.W. Turner. These artworks vividly capture the dramatic conflagration that consumed the Houses of Parliament on the evening of October 16, 1834. Turner was among the multitude who witnessed the inferno from the south bank of the River Thames, directly across from Westminster. He rapidly began sketching the scene with pencil and watercolor from various perspectives, even renting a boat to achieve a better vantage point. Some of these initial sketches were subsequently donated to the National Gallery as part of the Turner Bequest and are now housed at the Tate Gallery.

Turner completed the paintings in late 1834 or early 1835, each measuring 92.1 cm by 123.2 cm. He devoted considerable effort to perfecting both pieces, especially on the varnishing day just before their public unveiling. The first painting was exhibited at the British Institution in February 1835. It powerfully depicts the Houses of Parliament engulfed in flames, viewed from the upstream side of Westminster Bridge. The second painting, showcased at the Royal Academy's summer exhibition in 1835, presents a similar fiery scene but from a viewpoint further downstream, closer to Waterloo Bridge.

In 1928, the first painting was acquired by the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The second painting followed in 1942, becoming part of the collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art. The vibrant colors and dynamic compositions of these works may have influenced Turner's later masterpieces, such as his 1839 painting "The Fighting Temeraire" which also explores the theme of the passing of an old order.