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

With the page turned horizontally, the view is to the west along the northern reach of the Grand Canal, with the dome and campanile of the church of San Geremia (see folio 11 verso; D31298) outlined in the distance. On the left appears to be a schematic rendering of the Baroque pediment of the church of San Stae, with little more than the twin obelisks of the Palazzo Belloni Battagia articulating the south side of the canal. Likewise, the horizontal bands on one of the buildings opposite seem to serve as basic indications of the robust façade of the Ca’ Vendramin Calergi (the Casino).

The drawing on the recto (D31301) shows the same scene in slightly more detail, from a little further west. At the top left of the present page is a slight continuation from an architectural detail supplementing the Grand Canal view on folio 14 recto opposite (D31303).

This is one of a short sequence of sketches made while travelling south-east along the canal between the Canale di Cannaregio and the Rialto Bridge (folios 12 verso–15 recto; D31300–D31305). As noted in the sketchbook’s Introduction, the Venice views on its early pages are intermingled with German sketches from Turner’s return journey.