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

In the extreme liquidity and freedom of its watercolour washes, this nocturnal vista is typical of the works which Turner worked into the inside covers of his ‘roll sketchbooks’ at this date (see notes concerning the verso). Intact examples of this include inside covers from the Ideas of Folkestone and Boulogne sketchbooks of 1845 (Tate D35361, D35435; Turner Bequest CCCLVI 1, CCCLVIII 24). The moon in the night sky is clearly visible towards the top right-hand corner of the page, having been ‘lifted off’ from various shades of blue wash to expose the paper beneath. The rest of the view, however, is more difficult to decipher. James Hamilton gives his interpretation a biographical slant, finding in the dark purple-brown form towards the bottom left Turner’s coach ‘rolling towards Eu’.1

Verso:

As described in the Technical notes for the sketchbook Introduction, this sketch was worked into one of the inside covers of the volume. The piece is attached to its mount, so it is not possible to inspect the verso, although fragments of the original dark green cloth binding are visible to the right.