Jason was painted by Joseph Mallord William Turner in 1807.

Where can I see Jason?

Jason is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Jason?

Jason is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Jason

Joseph Mallord William Turner , 1807

Jason is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Joseph Mallord William Turner. It dates from 1807 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1807, “Jason” is an etching by the British artist J. M. W. Turner. The work presents a turbulent natural scene rendered in stark monochrome, characteristic of Turner’s early printmaking. Its composition centers on a storm‑laden sky and a chaotic seascape, conveying a sense of elemental force.

Subject & Meaning

The image depicts a bleak, wind‑blown landscape where jagged trees and roiling clouds dominate the horizon. In the lower right, a diminutive vessel struggles against the fierce waves, suggesting human vulnerability amid nature’s fury. The title alludes to the mythic hero Jason, reinforcing themes of peril and heroic endurance.

Technique & Style

Turner employed traditional etching methods, incising lines into a copper plate with a needle before exposing it to acid. Multiple biting stages and successive ink applications generate the work’s dense, textured surface. The resulting rough, layered marks produce a dramatic chiaroscuro that differs markedly from the smoother washes of his watercolours.

History & Provenance

“Jason” belongs to Turner’s early series of landscape prints, produced during a period when he explored the expressive potential of print media. The plate was likely printed in small editions for private collectors, and surviving impressions are now held by major European institutions, reflecting the work’s continued scholarly interest.