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

Inverted relative to the sketchbook’s foliation, the upper study traces the skyline of an unidentified town or city, likely in Umbria, Marche or Emilia-Romagna. Bologna is a possible candidate, given its density of domes and towers, although the cursory detailing prevents a conclusive identification. The separate detail towards the left presumably completes the tower truncated by the top edge of the page. Partly illegible, the accompanying inscription may read ‘15 Century’, noting down the architectural history of one (or several) of the towers.

The mountain peaks outlined in the lower half of the page (upside down, or upright as foliated), represent the Apennine Mountains, likely in Umbria. The obscure markings and heavy dashes across the centre of the page are difficult to interpret.