The burning of the houses of lords commons 1 (1835) set of 2 paintings depict thefire that broke outat thehouses of parliamentin 1834. Turner himself witnessed theburning of british parliamentfrom the south bank of theriver thames, oppositewestminster. He made sketches in two sketchbooks from different vantage points, including from a rented boat. 1St painting shows a scene from further downstream, closer to waterloo bridge, with the flames and smoke blown dramatically over the thames as spectators on the river bank and in boats look on. These paintings are considered a captivating visual record of the event and is symbolic of natures power over man. 2Nd painting shows the houses of parliament from the upstream side of westminster bridge. The buildings on the other side of the river are wreathed in golden flames. The fire is consuming the chamber of the house of commons in st stephens hall, and illuminating the towers of westminster abbey. The fire reflects dull red in the water, with a crowd of spectators in the foreground. To the right of the painting, westminster bridge looms like an iceberg, larger than life, but the perspective of the part of the bridge closest to the far bank is strongly distorted where it is lit up by the flames. Joseph mallord william turner (17751851) was one of the most important english romantic painters of the 19th century. He is known for his expressive colourisations, imaginative landscapes and turbulent, often violent marine paintings. He was championed by the leading english art critic john ruskin from 1840, and is today regarded as having elevated landscape painting to an eminence rivalling history painting. Turners imagination was sparked by shipwrecks, fires, and natural phenomena such as sunlight, storm, rain, and fog. He was fascinated by the violent power, turbulence and tidestorms of the sea. Its said that his last words before death were, the sun is god.