Snow Storm: Hannibal and his Army Crossing the Alps
- Artist: Joseph Mallord William Turner
- Date: exhibited 1812
- Medium: Oil paint on canvas
- Dimensions: support: 1460 x 2375 mm
- Museum: Tate Britain
- Collection record: Tate Britain website
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About this artwork
This is the “Snow Storm: Hannibal and his Army Crossing the Alps” by Joseph Mallord William Turner, first shown in 1812. Turner defied convention by hanging it at eye level, pulling viewers straight into a swirling blizzard that engulfs the Alps. The scene captures Hannibal, leading his forces across the mountains, riding an elephant – a striking image of ancient ambition confronted by nature’s fury. Turner uses the storm to comment on the Napoleonic Wars, pairing the French Emperor with the Carthaginian general. The clash between man’s grand plans and the indifferent weather is a theme he revisited often, and this work is a clear example. The oil on canvas is large – over 1.5 metres tall – and its dramatic light and dark contrasts make the snow feel almost tangible. Critics of the time praised its sublime power, noting how the chaos of the storm mirrors the turmoil of Europe. This piece entered the collection through the Turner Bequest in 1856.
See it in person
Snow Storm: Hannibal and his Army Crossing the Alps is in the collection of Tate Britain on Millbank, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
