Leo Martínez
HBO’s The Undoing is a story about the wealthy and the even wealthier, set in New York’s Upper East Side. The show's director, Susanne Bier, wanted to capture the world of the rich in meticulous detail, including the art on their walls. In the second and third episodes, viewers get a glimpse into the world of Grace (played by Nicole Kidman) by exploring the apartment of her father, Franklin Reinhardt (played by Donald Sutherland). Franklin's apartment is decorated like a museum, filled with paintings and sculptures. One painting that stands out is J.M.W. Turner's The Harbor of Dieppe, which Franklin is seen staring at in a museum.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Painting | "The Harbor of Dieppe" |
| Painter | J.W. Turner |
| Painting style | English |
| Painter's biography | Fathered two children out of wedlock |
| Painting location | The Frick Collection on 70th and 5th |
| Franklin's residence | 1215 Fifth Avenue, at the corner of 102nd Street |
| Franklin's apartment | Spacious, filled with paintings and sculptures, decorated like a museum |
| Franklin's character | Wealthy, powerful, patrician, retired financier |
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What You'll Learn
The painting is by JMW Turner
In HBO's The Undoing, Franklin, Grace's father, is seen admiring a painting by JMW Turner at the Frick Collection on 70th and 5th. The painting in question is "The Harbor of Dieppe". The character Franklin, played by Donald Sutherland, is a wealthy man with a love for art. His apartment is decorated like a museum, filled with paintings and sculptures.
JMW Turner, born Joseph Mallord William Turner in 1775, was a celebrated English painter known for his oil paintings and watercolours of landscapes. He was trained as a painter at the Royal Academy of Art from the age of 14 and became the youngest painter to achieve full status as a member of the Royal Academy at 26. Turner's work demonstrates a Romanticist love of storms and flux, with a focus on ships, architecture, ruins, fire, water, and brilliant sunlight.
Turner's paintings often featured complex colour palettes and low-durability pigments that would fade and deteriorate over time. As a result, many of his paintings have suffered flaking and discolouration, requiring restoration. Turner himself was enthusiastic about the varnishing process as it enlivened his paintings, but this has complicated restoration efforts as any additions made after varnishing are likely to be lost when the varnish is removed.
One of Turner's earliest paintings, "The Rising Squall, Hot Wells, from St Vincent's Rock, Bristol", was rediscovered in 2025 after being lost to his canon for 150 years. The painting, created when Turner was 17, was first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1793 and demonstrated his early ambition and competency in oil painting.
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Franklin's love of art
Franklin, played by Donald Sutherland in HBO's The Undoing, is a wealthy and powerful man who loves art. His immense wealth is reflected in his grand apartment, which is decorated with expensive artwork, sculptures, and paintings. The imposing great room in Franklin's apartment is furnished with luxurious pieces, including two sofas from EJ Victor and surrounded by Russian Neo-Classical case goods.
Franklin's apartment is described as a museum, with its high-end artwork, sculptures, and drafty atmosphere. He is often seen in museums, particularly the Upper East Side's local jewel box, The Frick. One painting that stands out is J.W. Turner's "The Harbor of Dieppe," which he contemplates with his daughter.
The connection between Franklin's love of art and the painter Elena, who is murdered, is intriguing. Franklin's wealth and power, combined with his artistic interests, create a complex character with a passion for beauty and a potential dark side.
Overall, Franklin's love of art adds depth to his character and is an essential element in the world of the rich and opulent that The Undoing meticulously portrays.
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Turner's 'The Harbor of Dieppe'
In HBO's The Undoing, Franklin, Grace's father, is shown to have a love for art. His apartment is decorated like a museum, filled with paintings and sculptures. In one scene, Franklin is shown staring at J.M.W. Turner's "The Harbor of Dieppe", a painting completed in 1826, a year after it was exhibited in the Royal Academy. The painting is set at dusk, with its companion piece, "Cologne: The Arrival of a Packet Boat: Evening", set at dawn.
The painting depicts the bustling commercial hub of Dieppe Harbor on the coast of Northern France in the early 19th century. Turner populates the waterfront with crowds of people going about their daily lives, some industrious and others less so. This painting is quieter and more subdued than Turner's other works, which often depicted battle scenes, shipwrecks, avalanches, and snow storms.
Turner was a compulsive experimenter, and his work is visually audacious, challenging viewers to keep looking. He was fascinated by the dramatic effects of sunlight, and this is evident in "The Harbor of Dieppe", where the central core of sun reflected on the water draws the viewer's eye into the painting. The diminishing scale of the sails adds to the illusion of depth, and Turner carefully worked out architectural features such as the steps at the harbor's edge and the row of houses on the right of the canvas to guide the viewer's eye and enhance the sense of space.
The use of light in the painting creates an aerial perspective, where objects in the distance lose their local color and merge into a pale bluish-grey. This is particularly noticeable in the treatment of the church tower at Dieppe, where the soft, hazy outline contrasts with the harshness of the sail in the foreground. Turner continued to experiment with dramatic light effects in his large-scale landscapes, despite criticism from contemporary commentators for his excessive use of yellow.
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Art as a symbol of wealth
In HBO's The Undoing, Franklin, Grace's father, is a wealthy, powerful man who resides in a fancy apartment on the Upper East Side. His home is decorated like a museum, filled with expensive artwork, sculptures, and paintings, including J. W. Turner's "The Harbor of Dieppe". This use of art to showcase wealth and status is a common practice among the rich and powerful, from monarchs adorning their palaces with masterpieces to aristocrats commissioning portraits and sculptures. Art has long been intertwined with expressions of wealth and social status, serving as a medium for individuals, celebrities, and corporations to showcase their affluence, cultural capital, and prestige.
The practice of using art as a symbol of wealth is not limited to the physical display of artwork. Art collecting and investing have been exclusive endeavours accessible only to a wealthy inner circle. The acquisition of art as an investment demonstrates financial prowess and an appreciation for cultural capital. This is exemplified by celebrities like Jay-Z and Beyoncé, who have amassed impressive art collections, and corporations like Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank, which use art to showcase their wealth and status to clients and employees.
Additionally, art has been used to attract wealth and abundance through symbolic paintings such as the Money Tree, Treasure Chest, and Pot of Gold. These paintings serve as visual reminders of financial goals, inspiring individuals to explore new opportunities and nurture their wealth. The strategic placement of these paintings, such as in the southeast corner of a room or workspace, is believed to enhance financial energy and motivation.
The display of art in Franklin's home in The Undoing reflects his immense wealth and love of art. The use of art as a status symbol in the series underscores the theme of exploring the lives of the wealthy and powerful, highlighting the meticulous detail in capturing the world of the rich.
Overall, art has served as a symbol of wealth throughout history, allowing individuals, celebrities, and corporations to express their financial success, cultural capital, and prestige. The practice continues today, with art collecting and investing remaining exclusive pursuits, and symbolic paintings being used to attract wealth and abundance.
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Art as a character insight
Art is used as a tool to provide insight into the characters of HBO's The Undoing. The series is a story about the wealthy and the "have-even-mores", and the meticulous planning of the art on the walls of the characters' homes reflects this.
Franklin Reinhardt, Grace's father, played by Donald Sutherland, is a wealthy, powerful man who wants to keep his daughter Grace's family together. His apartment is decorated like a museum, filled with paintings and sculptures, reflecting his immense wealth, coldness, and love of art. The art in his home includes work by Francis Bacon, Juan Gris, and J.M.W. Turner, with the latter also featuring in the series as a painting Franklin views in a museum. This particular painting, "The Harbor of Dieppe", may symbolize how Franklin is keeping track of Jonathan's every move. Franklin's apartment is described as "drafty", with high ceilings and a view, and is decorated with Russian Neo-Classical case pieces and sofas from EJ Victor. The art and setting of his home are used to portray Franklin as a very established patrician character, contrasting with the more relaxed style of his daughter's home, which still includes paintings by Gerhardt Richter.
Grace's beach home, meanwhile, is intended to evoke a cozy, yet expensive escape, reflecting the wealth of her family across generations. The set designers sought to capture the sense of a house that has been in the family for ages, with the same coffee cups used for generations.
In contrast to the wealthy parents at the school, the Alves family lives in Harlem, a neighbourhood above and several tax brackets below. Their home is still comfortable, but it is starkly different from the other homes in the show. The apartment is described as "clearly different and artistic" because the character of Elena is a painter. The exterior was filmed in Harlem, while the interior was in midtown, reflecting the practicalities of filming.
Overall, the art and settings of the homes in The Undoing provide insight into the characters' wealth, status, and personalities, helping to flesh out their worlds and tell the viewers more about them.
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Frequently asked questions
Franklin is looking at J.W. Turner's "The Harbor of Dieppe".
J.M.W. Turner is an English painter who reportedly fathered two children out of wedlock.
The painting may symbolise how Franklin is keeping track of Jonathan's every move.
Art is used to depict the wealth of the characters. The director, Susanne Bier, wanted to accurately portray the lifestyle of the rich and powerful.
Franklin's apartment is covered in work by Francis Bacon, Juan Gris, and J.M.W. Turner. His daughter's home features paintings by Gerhardt Richter.
