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

The apsidal east end of Augsburg’s Late Gothic former abbey church of SS. Ulrich and Afra is seen from the north-west, possibly from between houses along Afragäßchen, although details in the foreground are slight, as Turner concentrated on the elaborate gable of the north transept and the soaring three-stage tower with its onion dome, using the full height of the page. The building’s plain white rendering, articulated by stone dressings and tracery, lent itself conveniently to this swift outline treatment. The base of the tower stands between the main chancel and the similarly rounded end of the parallel Allerheiligenkapelle.

There is a complementary horizontal view from further back on folio 7 recto opposite (D32554; CCCXXII 8). The tower is the most prominent landmark at the southern end of the old city, and is seen from the same direction in the background of folio 5 recto (D32550; CCCXXII 6). It also appears in the distance in the contemporary Venice up to Trento sketchbook (Tate D31696, D31722; Turner Bequest CCCXII 50a, 64), and on one of the separate grey sheets used on this tour (Tate D33853; Turner Bequest CCCXLI 162).

The two views of the church conclude a sequence between folio 2 recto and the recto (D32544–D32552; CCCXXII 3–7) exploring the eastern side of the city; see under the view of the cathedral on folio 1 verso (D32543; CCCXXII 2a) for other Augsburg views.

Technical notes:

The pale brown staining at the centre of the outer edge is owing to the leaf’s proximity to the leather pencil loop anchored under the front paste-down (D32541; CCCXXII 1).