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

David Wallace-Hadrill and Janet Carolan have suggested that the two sketches on this page may depict Loch Lochy, an identification that is consistent with the order of sketches in this book.1 The sketch, drawn parallel with the page gutter, may show a view north up the loch from the southern end, with the southern end of Druim Ghlaoidh covered in fir trees at the right. With the sketchbook inverted from this sketch, drawn parallel with the fore-edge of the page, there may be another view north along the loch. This time the view is from further up the loch, with the tall mountains to the west of the loch at the left, and the promontory of Letterfinlay at the right with Creag nan Gobhar in the distance. Both sketches include the same sailing boat in the distance. Without any strong topographical clues, however, these identifications remain tentative. There are further sketches of Loch Lochy on folios 6 and 7 (D26972, D26974).