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

With the page turned horizontally, the main subject is a three-part panorama of the western part of central Amsterdam from the River IJ, ranging south-west to north-west across the descending bands, with a separate study of a basketwork lobster pot at the bottom left. The view appears more or less continuous with another three-part view on folio 115 recto (D19066), looking further to the left.

At the top left, beyond moored boats and what Turner seems to have noted as a riverfront bath-house, are the dome of the Ronde Lutherse Kerk (‘round Lutheran church’), the lost Haringpakkerstoren (‘herring packer’s tower’) on its near side above a boat flying a prominent Dutch flag, and the soaring ‘Westertoren’ steeple of the Westerkerk, perhaps twice as far off than the other church. Having begun not far below the top (outer) edge, Turner had to extend the spire not once but twice beside the main part of its profile. All three buildings are shown in greater detail elsewhere (see under folios 98 recto, 97 recto and 103 recto respectively; D19033, D19031 and D19043), including in wider views on folios 111 verso and 113 recto (D19059, D19062). Towards the top right is the slender cupola of the Noorderkerk, north of the Westerkerk.

In the second band, the lost Haarlemmerpoort, at the north-west corner of the city, is shown flanked by windmills; compare folios 102 verso–103 recto (D19042–D19043). Below that, the second extension to the right shows another windmill to the north-west, presumably the one marked on maps of the time overlooking the river off the northern tip of the Realeneiland. The riverfront has since been extensively developed, with the Westerdok and Oosterdok, the Victorian railway station and tower blocks. See under folio 81 recto (D18999) for other views in and around the city in this book and elsewhere.