Apocalypse Now as Tate Stages Biblical Blockbuster

LONDON EVENING STANDARD
By Staff

Destruction Of Sodom And Gomorrah (1852) by John Martin

ENGLAND - The apocalyptic visions of an artist more popular than Constable and JMW Turner in his day are to be brought together in the biggest exhibition of his work for nearly two centuries. Tate curators hope that the blockbuster show uniting famous scenes of biblical catastrophe by the Romantic John Martin will restore him to his proper place at the heart of 19th-century cultural life. In his lifetime, Martin (1789-1854) was scorned by poets and by the art establishment. Yet curator Martin Myrone said Martin was adored by everyone from Charles Dickens to the Brontës and painted scenes from literature, including the Bible, works by John Milton and by 18th-century poets now largely forgotten. "He represents the art a mass public was consuming. He was the most popular artist of his day." It will include many works only discovered or restored in recent years including an early disaster painting, The Fall Of Babylon, not seen in public for 150 years. "John Martin: Apocalypse" at Tate Britain, Millbank will run from September 21 until January 15 next year. Visit http://www.tate.org.uk/. [link]