J.M.W. Turner: Sketchbooks, Drawings and Watercolours

With the page turned vertically, there are three rapidly rendered variant views running down from the top (outer) edge, showing the entrance to Boulogne’s harbour eastwards from the Channel. They include windmills, slight indications of skyline of the elevated old town or haute ville, and the old eastern and western piers flanking the harbour channel in the foreground. The framework of the lost telegraph tower at the seaward end of the western pier, seen in various other sketches in this book, is shown on the right of the first view; compare in particular the detailed prospect inland from beside the tower on folios 19 verso–20 recto (D19434–D19435).

There are similar sketches from further out to sea on folio 7 verso opposite (D19414). See under folio 1 recto (D19401), another view from the Channel, where the subject’s relationship with others in this sketchbook and elsewhere are noted; folio 6 recto (D19411) appears to comprise related sea views.