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From £500 to £1.9 million: Turner Landscape Unveiled After Auction Discovery
An artwork that sold for just £524.80 at a regional British auction in April 2024 has become a major art‑world find. The painting, originally catalogued as *House by the Water in a Stormy Sky* and attributed to a follower of Julius Caesar Ibbetson, was later identified as an early landscape by J.M.W. Turner. Titled *The Rising Squall, Hot Wells, from St Vincent's Rock, Bristol*, it was sold at Sotheby’s in London on 2 July 2025 for about £1.5 million before fees, bringing the final price to roughly £1.9 million.
The painting first appeared at Dreweatts auction house in Newbury. It was bought by a private collector for £524.80, including fees. During cleaning and restoration a signature reading “W Turner” was uncovered in the lower‑left corner, prompting further investigation. Experts confirmed the work’s attribution to Turner, a leading scholar supporting the identification.
The canvas dates to around 1792, when Turner was 17. It depicts Hot Wells House, a former spa building near Bristol, beside the River Avon under storm clouds. The work was Turner’s first oil painting exhibited publicly at the Royal Academy in 1793. Historians note the early use of translucent oil layers that foreshadow his later treatment of light and atmosphere.
Before the 2025 sale, the painting was estimated to fetch between £200,000 and £300,000. Interest from collectors pushed the final price far beyond expectations. A private collector from the United Kingdom won the auction, surpassing an offer from Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, which had raised more than £100,000 in a public fundraising campaign called *Bring Turner Home*.
The museum later explored the possibility of securing the painting on loan so it could still be displayed in Bristol, the city depicted in the landscape. The rediscovery has renewed attention on Turner’s early connection with Bristol and the role the city played in his artistic development.
The story highlights how a routine cleaning revealed a long‑forgotten work, turning a modest £500 purchase into a multimillion‑pound sale and a significant addition to British art history.
Frequently asked questions
What was the original price of the Turner painting at the regional auction?
It sold for £524.80, including fees.
What was the final sale price at Sotheby's?
It sold for about £1.5 million before fees, bringing the final price to roughly £1.9 million.