His moody landscapes and vivid oils have already seen thousands of art lovers through the first half of Canberra’s winter, and now the works of JMW Turner will be sticking around for spring.
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The National Gallery of Australia will extend its current blockbuster, Turner from the Tate: The Making of a Master, by another week, and the show will now close on September 15.
Although previous shows at the gallery have included works by the famed “master of light”, Turner from the Tate includes more than 100 works that have never been shown at the gallery.
Although visitor numbers are not available, a gallery spokesman confirmed that “tens of thousands” of visitors had already been through the exhibition, many lingering for several hours.
He said the accompanying shop, selling Turner memorabilia as well as all manner of British-themed goods, from tweed flatcaps to bottles of Pimms, had been especially popular, as had the Wedgwood Tea Room, with high teas and ploughman’s lunches selling out many weekends.
The show had been a welcome antidote to Canberra’s usual chilly winter days, but more visitors would have the chance to see the show as the weather started warming up in September, he said.
And Canberrans, famous for waiting until the last minute to see a major show on their doorstep, now have another week to get their act together.
Turner from the Tate: The Making of a Master now runs until September 15. Timed tickets are available through Ticketek.