William Turner - The Burning of the Parliament Notebook

The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons, 16th October, 1834 (commonly known as The Burning of the Houses of Parliament), painted by Joseph Mallord William Turner in 1834–1835, depicts the catastrophic fire that engulfed the British Parliament on the night of 16 October 1834. Turner witnessed the blaze firsthand from the banks of the Thames and transformed the event into a dramatic spectacle of flames, smoke and reflected light, with Westminster Bridge framing the scene. Turner painted two oil versions of the fire, each presenting a different view of the dramatic event. This oil on canvas is one of those two versions.