J. M. W. Turner was a "modern" painter that many art critics have considered at least fifty, if not one hundred, years ahead of his time. He was a romantic interpreter of nature and is still thought of as unrivaled in the virtuosity of his painting of light. His emotionally charged landscapes and seascapes are more appreciated today than they were in his era. Contemporary viewers, in fact, can see glimpses of many modern styles in Turner's paintings of the 1830s and 1840s, ranging from impressionism to abstract expressionism. Another sign of his forward thinking was Turner's interest in using light and color to express the feelings inspired by nature. Such portrayals were not accepted in Turner's time and led critics to deem his paintings full of "soapsuds and whitewash." They were criticized as vulgar and unfinished. But Turner was committed to the pursuit of his vision, which...