Joseph Mallord William Turner is one of the most famous painters in history. His work was so significant that he was named a baron by Queen Victoria, and he is often called the "Father of English Romanticism."

Turner's paintings are known for their dramatic use of light and color, as well as their close attention to nature. He traveled throughout England, France, Italy, Switzerland, and Germany to paint landscapes and seascapes—and sometimes architectural scenes—in precise detail. Some people say that his paintings were so realistic that they seemed like photographs taken from nature; others say they were more impressionistic than realist in style.

Turner also made sketches while traveling (usually on small pieces of paper), which he later used as reference material for his larger paintings.

Joseph Mallord William Turner: Top 10 Paintings

1. Fishermen at Sea 1796

2. The Shipwreck 1805

3. Frosty Morning 1813

4. Snowstorm Hannibal Crossing the Alps 1812

5. Dido Building Carthage, or The Rise of the Carthaginian Empire 1815

6. Norham Castle Sunrise 1845

7. The Slave Ship 1840

8. Peace – Burial at Sea 1842

9. The Grand Canal, Venice 1835

10. The Fighting Temeraire 1839