LONDON, Oct 10 (Reuters) - The Bank of England launched a
new 20 pound ($24.46) banknote on Thursday featuring British
painter J.M.W. Turner.
Famed for his depictions of coastal landscapes, Turner
replaces 18th Century economist Adam Smith as the current face
of the 20 pound note.
"Our banknotes celebrate the UK's heritage, salute its
culture, and testify to the achivements of its most notable
individuals," BoE Governor Mark Carney said at the launch of the
banknote at the Turner Contemporary art gallery in Margate, a
coastal town in southeast England.
"The new 20 pound note celebrates Turner, his art and his
legacy in all their radiant, colourful, evocative glory."
The BoE chose Turner, who died in 1851, from a shortlist of
visual artists which included filmmaker Charlie Chaplin,
sculptor Barbara Hepworth, painter William Hogarth and designer
Josiah Wedgwood.
Turner joins Winston Churchill and Jane Austen as the
subjects of Bank of England notes. A new 50 pound note with 20th
Century computer scientist Alan Turing will be launched in 2021.
($1 = 0.8176 pounds)
(Reporting by Andy Bruce; Editing by Alistair Smout)