The Slave Ship (1840) : Originally titled 'Slavers Throwing overboard the Dead and Dying�Typhon coming on', the masterpeice depicts 133 enslaved Africans were�thrown into the sea to drown�by the crew of the slave ship�Zong. This was done partly to ensure the survival of the ship�s remaining inhabitants and partly to cash on the insurance on the slaves. This event is considered the inspiration behind this masterpiece, which was first exhibited on the same day as a meeting of the�British Anti-Slavery Society. The painting depicts a ship struggling in the stormy sea while a number of bodies with dark skin, and chained hands and feet, are floating in water. The picture is blurry without defined brush strokes and Turner brilliantly uses colour to create a dramatic effect for the viewer.�The Slave Ship�focuses on the�power of nature over man�and the�vices of the Industrial Revolution. *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!'