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

Here Turner has inscribed a set of instructions for cleaning plates for engraving.1 Further notes on the chemical aspects of lithographic reproduction, engraving and painting are found on Tate D18313, D18315–D18316; Turner Bequest CCX 2, 3–3a.

Turner’s notes are transcribed thus:

‘this mixed with Gum or flour paste
acetate of Alumina
Alum and Soap to clean plate
Alum and Gum pours in water
Making incombustible paper
Gelatine Glue from Bones
Alum and Walnut Shells [...]
with water rubb on wood and
greased with Hogs lard preserves
the Wood from Worms
Cotton
Water and Cow Dung [...]
Which iron in Water
Weak solution of oxymuriate of
potash or Soda–
triturate muriate or sulphate
with paste or gum or the clay and
Gum. Indian Rubber [...] [?Wash]
[...] disolve in Ether’.