Yale Center for British Art

Creator:: Joseph Mallord William Turner, 1775–1851, British
Title:: Lake Avernus: Aeneas and the Cumaean Sibyl
Date:: between 1814 and 1815
Materials & Techniques:: Oil on canvas
Dimensions:: 28 1/4 x 38 1/4 inches (71.8 x 97.2 cm)
Credit Line:: Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Copyright Status:: Public Domain
Accession Number:: B1977.14.78
Gallery Label:: The ancient Romans believed Lake Avernus — the water-filled mouth of an extinct volcano — was the entrance to the underworld. Turner shows the Cumaean Sibyl (a priestess) as she prepares to lead the mythical hero Aeneas through the lake to see his dead father. This depiction of the scene shows Claude’s deep influence on Turner. The sweeping lines of the trees, the warmth of coloring, and the landscape’s seemingly infinite recession all testify to Turner’s determination to rival his admired predecessor. Gallery label for J. M. W. Turner: Romance and Reality (Yale Center for British Art, March - 29, 2025 - July 27, 2025)