1897
Walter Thornbury, The Life of J.M.W. Turner, R.A. Founded on Letters and Papers Furnished by his Friends and Fellow-Academicians: A New Edition, Revised with 8 Coloured Illustrations after Turner’s Originals and 2 Woodcuts, London 1897, p.479.
1909
A.J. Finberg, A Complete Inventory of the Drawings of the Turner Bequest, London 1909, vol.I, p.531, as ‘The following written in ink:- “St. Peter’s. The part by Bernini good in the arrangement of the columns, but being very large they carry the idea of greatness away from the facade of the building, which being but one order, tho the ... has in the facia of the pannel a capital to carry an entablature without support, and the Dome, &c.’.
1925
Thomas Ashby, Turner’s Visions of Rome, London and New York 1925, pp.14–15.
1984
Cecilia Powell, ‘Turner on Classic Ground: His Visits to Central and Southern Italy and Related Paintings and Drawings’, unpublished Ph.D thesis, Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London 1984, pp.225 and 507 note 21, 411, 472 note 8, as ‘Saint Peter’s. the part by Bernini good / in the arrangement of the columns but being very large they convey the idea of greatness / away from the facade of the building / which being but one Order. tho the attic has in the facia of the pannel a / capital, to carry an entablature / without supports and the Dome collosal / has it certainly is by measure appears / to rest upon the Upper cornice and / in the most favourable view the / columns are cut by it or the cupla has no base / so that the Dome in approaching / the steps becomes secondary. The (illegible) for the (illegible) are / (illegible) are immense pieces and (illegible) a / trifling pediment masks the front / and the openings increase between the / pilasters so that two of the windows are / (sketch of window)’.
1987
Cecilia Powell, Turner in the South: Rome, Naples, Florence, New Haven and London 1987, p.37 note 7.
1997
James Hamilton, Turner: A Life, London 1997, p.199 note 18.
