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

The page contains a sketch, drawn horizontally, depicting a street scene in the town of Harfleur (for further information, see under folio 1 recto, D23699). Finberg noted the sketch simply as ‘Street scene’;1 however, the location of Harfleur has been confirmed.2 The town is identifiable by the tower, on the left, of the Church of Saint-Martin (for further information on the church, see under folio 2 verso, D23702), and in addition by half-timbered houses such as the one to the left of the church. Turner picks out details of these buildings such as half-timbering supports and the perpendicular masonry spikes on the church spire.

At the centre of the view is a bridge, likely to be spanning the town’s River Lézarde or possibly a canal. The view is similar, albeit from a different angle, to that of Turner’s later watercolour, The Church of Saint-Martin at Harfleur, Normandy, c.1832 (Tate D24651, Turner Bequest CCLIX 86), although as art historian Ian Warrell states3 the main source for the watercolour is the sketch on folio 6 recto (D23709). Whilst the buildings depicted on the right of the sketch appear to be a continuation of the street scene, it is also possible that structure at top right is a separate sketch, of a water mill. A faint numeral ‘2’ appears to have been marked on the top right of the page.