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

The upper half of the page comprises two coastal profiles, with the lower seemingly a slighter variant. Although unlabelled and falling between views of Dover as foliated (see under folio 1 recto; D19401), they likely show eastward prospects from the Channel1 towards the French coast around Boulogne, with the vertical feature in the upper view presumably marking the Colonne de la Grande Armée on the heights north of the port; compare the smaller sketch on D19401, where clearer views and the subject’s relationship with others in this sketchbook and elsewhere are noted.

If the overall identification is correct, the four small rectangular features along the waterline are perhaps respectively: the lost Tour or Fort de Croy off Wimereux, as seen in 1845’s Ambleteuse and Wimereux sketchbook (Tate D35387; Turner Bequest CCCLVII 2); the lost Fort de la Crèche, north of Boulogne’s harbour mouth (see under folio 8 verso; D19416); the small building then on the harbour’s eastern pier (compare folio 8 recto; D19415); and the Fort de l’Heurt, now a ruin, off Le Portel (see under folio 16 verso (D19428). Above the latter, apparently as part of the overall view, is the low disk of what would thus be the rising sun below cloud in the labelled ‘yel[?low]’ sky. See also folios 7 verso and 8 recto (D19414–D19415), where there are various confirmed views of Boulogne from the sea.