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

With the sketchbook turned vertically, Turner made a diagrammatic sketch of a setting sun at the top of this page and inscribed it with various colour notations. The sun and its halo are represented by two concentric circles intersected by a straight horizontal line, perhaps to indicate the horizon line. The area above the sun is divided into three sections; the left-hand section is inscribed ‘Purple’, the middle section ‘Blue Grey | Red Haze’, and the right-hand section with ‘Gold grey’. Immediately beneath the sun is inscribed ‘wine’. This is followed by incomplete or indecipherable notes reading ‘Exiting Red [?South] with | [...]’ and ‘Early sea from | [?blue] ray on the [?horizon]’. Such colour notes also feature in this sketchbook on folio 45 verso (D23604; Turner Bequest CCLII 45a).

Technical notes:

The bottom of the page is marked with grey watercolour, carried over or transferred from folio 3 recto opposite (D23529; Turner Bequest CCLII 3).

Most of page is discoloured to a shade of light ochre.