Finding parallels

As Napoleon reappeared long after his death in (), so, 40 years after Waterloo, Turner reworked. The exhibition's curators see this as an objection to the Duke's reactionary politics and one of the interesting things about the show is how many political themes and allusions they have found. Some convince, but many picturesque scenes make no points. The 1828 might indeed be an allusion to rotten boroughs and the 1831 pro reform, but the 1828 presents a costume drama set without a hint of the worst slums outside London. Elsewhere are allusions to the Greek War of Independence and the Austrian occupation of Venice. Perhaps this theme will be discussed in , edited by David Blayney Brown, Amy Concannon and Sam Smiles (Tate Publishing, £25).