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

ISBN 978-1-84976-386-8
J.M.W. Turner > 1787-1801 Student and master > Scotland 1801-10 > Chester Sketchbook > Artwork

Joseph Mallord William Turner Inscription by Turner: Draft of a Speech or Letter ?1801

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  • Inside front cover of sketchbook
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Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Inscription by Turner: Draft of a Speech or Letter’ ?1801 (Inside front cover of sketchbook)
Inside front cover of sketchbook
Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Inside Front Cover:
Inscription by Turner: Draft of a Speech or Letter ?1801
D40795
Pencil on white laid paper 256 x 161 mm
Inscribed by Turner in pencil with extensive text (see main catalogue entry)
Inscribed in pencil ‘LXXXII’ bottom right, upside down
Stamped in black ‘LXXXII’ bottom right, upside down
 
Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
Inverted relative to the sketchbook’s foliation, most of this paste–down is taken up with the following notes in pencil:
The Honor – bestow[?d] upon us
our P[?resident]
Allow us [or ‘me’] to return our Thanks
for [?this] the Honor the [?firm] have been
pleased to confer upon [?us assuring]
[?them ...] and the [?the ...]
for their approbation.
How far we may [?venture] your
[?expression ...] will [?not ...]
[...] thanks of [?both ...]
fewer [?works] will be to [?administer]
this [or ‘the’] Companys late wh[... ?honor]
[?or] with this cond[...]
our exertion with [...]
constancy [Finberg: ‘countenance’]
The text is written over slight pencil sketches; a large smear of watercolour disrupts the right–hand ends of the last few lines, making them even more difficult to read.
The inscription, which is continued on folio 2 verso (D05075) with another version of the second paragraph, seems to be a note relating to a planned speech or letter. The apparent mention of the ‘President’ indicates that its content refers in some way to the Royal Academy. Towards the end of 1801, after his return from the Scottish tour on which this sketchbook was used, Turner (an Associate since the last day of 1799) was campaigning to be elected Academician, and the care that he can be seen giving his remarks here may betoken his concern to win the forthcoming election. It took place on 12 February 1802, when he was duly accorded full membership.
Technical notes:
There is a large patch of blue–grey watercolour towards the bottom right, as noted above in relation to Turner’s inscription.

Andrew Wilton
May 2013

How to cite

Andrew Wilton, ‘Inscription by Turner: Draft of a Speech or Letter ?1801 by Joseph Mallord William Turner’, catalogue entry, May 2013, in David Blayney Brown (ed.), J.M.W. Turner: Sketchbooks, Drawings and Watercolours, Tate Research Publication, April 2016, https://www.tate.org.uk/art/research-publications/jmw-turner/joseph-mallord-william-turner-inscription-by-turner-draft-of-a-speech-or-letter-r1178639, accessed 21 November 2024.