The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons

Along with thousands of other spectators, Turner himself witnessed the Burning of Parliament from the south bank of the River Thames, opposite Westminster.

The first painting, exhibited at the British Institution in February 1835, shows the Houses of Parliament from the upstream side of Westminster Bridge.

The fire is consuming the chamber of the House of Commons in St Stephen's Hall, and illuminating the towers of Westminster Abbey.

It shows a similar 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.

In the bottom right hand corner, we see fightfighting boats being slowly tugged towards the fire, which at this point is so big that their efforts are pointless.