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

At the upper register Turner has sketched a workaday scene with figures in front of a church, annotated ‘Ho St Ronsard’ above. From another of Turner’s inscriptions, the seated woman pictured appears to be ‘mixing up Coal and Earth’ before a standing figure. Running across the middle register and extending onto the folio opposite (Tate D28168; Turner Bequest CCLXXXVIII 1a), are two figures with a horse and cart positioned before a picturesque view of a river valley and bridge. The final sketch shows woman with her back turned to the viewer; she stands beside a collection of pots, urns, and jugs of various sizes. Turner has inscribed notes on the colour and style of her regional dress and the pottery that surrounds her: for example, ‘White Light Jacket Fan tail’ and ‘White Ware’ with ‘Blue’.