The Burning of the Houses of Lords & Commons 1 (1835) : Set of 2 paintings depict the�fire that broke out�at the�Houses of Parliament�on the evening of 16 October 1834. Along with thousands of other spectators, Turner himself witnessed the�Burning of British Parliament�from the south bank of the�River Thames, opposite�Westminster. He made sketches using both pencil and watercolour in two sketchbooks from different vantage points, including from a rented boat. This particular 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 nature�s power over man. *JMW (Joseph Mallord William) TURNER (1775-1851) 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. Turner's 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. It's said that his last words before death were, 'The Sun is God!'