Later Life
Martin from about 1827-28 turned away from painting, and became involved with many plans and inventions. His brother Jonathan's trial for setting fire to York Minster also proved an expensive burden.
Martin developed a fascination with solving London's water and sewage problems, involving the creation of the Thames embankment, containing a central drainage system. His plans were visionary, and formed the basis for later engineers’ designs – Joseph Bazalgette's included. The plans, along with railway schemes, an idea for ‘laminating timber’, lighthouses, and draining islands, all survive. Debt and family pressures, including the suicide of his nephew (Jonathan’s son Richard) brought on depression which reached its worst in 1838.
From 1839 Martin's fortunes recovered and he exhibited many works during the 1840s, culminating in his triumphal Last Judgment trilogy of paintings (Tate Britain, London) which were completed in 1853, just before the stroke which paralysed his right side. He was never to recover and died on February 17, 1854, on the Isle of Man. He is buried in Kirk Braddan cemetery. Major exhibitions of his works are still mounted.
Read more about this topic: John Martin (painter)
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