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

ISBN 978-1-84976-386-8
J.M.W. Turner > 1802-18 Academician and professor > Liber Studiorum notes c.1807-19 > Liber Notes (1) Sketchbook > Artwork

Joseph Mallord William Turner A Study of a Cloudy Sky above a River Scene, Probably on the Thames Upstream from London c.1815-16

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Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘A Study of a Cloudy Sky above a River Scene, Probably on the Thames Upstream from London’ c.1815-16
Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Folio 6 Recto:
A Study of a Cloudy Sky above a River Scene, Probably on the Thames Upstream from London c.1815–16
D10781
Turner Bequest CXLIII 6
Pencil on white wove paper, 102 x 160 mm
Partial watermark ‘J Gr | 18’
Inscribed by Turner in pencil ‘Light dun’ top left, ‘[?warm]’ and ‘Grey Dun’ top right, ‘Blue’ towards bottom left, and ‘orange’ and ‘Cold Grey’ towards bottom right
Inscribed by John Ruskin in red ink ‘6’ bottom left, descending vertically (now smudged and faint)
Stamped in black ‘CXLIII – 6’ bottom left, descending vertically
 
Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
The subjects from folio 3 recto (D10778) to here await positive identification, but the views of Southwark Bridge preceding them (see under folio 1 recto; D10775) and the subsequent sketch of Greenwich on folio 7 recto (D10783) suggest that they are all likely to be River Thames scenes around London. Here, with the page turned horizontally, there appear to be buildings indicated on the skyline at the centre, with reflections in the river in the foreground. Turner has annotated the cloudy sky with various colours, with ‘orange’ perhaps suggesting sunset, making this a view westwards. There are similar notes on folio 4 recto (D10779).
For Gerald Wilkinson’s comments on the style and dating of this and other pages in the sketchbook, see under folio 4 recto (D10779).

Matthew Imms
September 2013

How to cite

Matthew Imms, ‘A Study of a Cloudy Sky above a River Scene, Probably on the Thames Upstream from London c.1815–16 by Joseph Mallord William Turner’, catalogue entry, September 2013, in David Blayney Brown (ed.), J.M.W. Turner: Sketchbooks, Drawings and Watercolours, Tate Research Publication, September 2014, https://www.tate.org.uk/art/research-publications/jmw-turner/joseph-mallord-william-turner-a-study-of-a-cloudy-sky-above-a-river-scene-probably-on-the-r1147667, accessed 22 November 2024.