The Harbours of England
Not on view
Lupton commissioned Turner in 1825 to produce a set of twenty-five marine watercolors that he intended to issue himself as a series of prints in twelve parts (including a title-page) under the present title. Before the first two prints were issued in the first instalment in 1826 the title was switched to "Ports of England." The painter had previously worked with Lupton in collaboration with the publisher William Bernard Cooke for the "Rivers of England" series in 1822–26. Though the first six prints were issued as planned in three installments between 1826 and 1828, the project ran into difficulties and was abandoned before completion.In 1856, after Turner's death, the completed twelve prints were published under the original title with text added by John Ruskin (1819–1900). He described Lupton and Turner's working relationship, noting that the printmaker was more often "tormented than helped by Turner's alterations." On publication, "The Art Journal" praised the volume which would become a "valuable acquisition to the artist and art-lover, and its production is highly to the credit of the enterprising publisher."
