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

Turner used this page in the portrait format for eight sketches during his journey along the Seine from Rouen to Le Havre. At the top left of the page is a tiny sketch of Caudebec-en-Caux inscribed ‘Caudec’. The tower structure probably belongs to the Gothic church. A circle just above the water at the right indicates that the sun is rising. An even smaller sketch beneath is inscribed ‘villquai’ referring to Villequier, the next commune about two and a half miles further down-river from Caudebec.

The larger drawing beneath these two thumbnail sketches depicts medieval buildings with a slope going down to a harbour, which Ian Warrell suggests may be at Caudebec. Beneath is a slightly different view of buildings, again with the masts of boats in the harbour at the left that Warrell has suggested is either Caudebec of Quillebeuf. Above this sketch is another small thumbnail sketch of a village on the banks of the Seine, tentatively identified as Tancarville.

At the bottom of the page are three further sketches. The uppermost of these is a view towards the mouth of the Seine from Quillebeuf. Beneath this at the very bottom-left of the page is a distant view of Tancarville. Finally at the bottom right of the page is a study of the church at Quillebeuf (see folio 29 verso; Tate D24556; Turner CCLVIII 29a).1

Further sketches of Caudebec are on folio 7 verso–8 and 9 verso (Tate D24513–D24514, D24517; Turner Bequest CCLVIII 7a–8, 9a). There are further sketches of Quillebeuf on folios 29 verso and 34 verso (Tate D24556, D24565; Turner Bequest CCLVIII 29a, 34v).