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

This is one of a sequence of twenty-five recto pages of watercolour landscape, sea and sky compositions between folio 9 recto (D18609) and folio 34 recto (D18638), many of which evoke quiet Thames Valley scenes with water in the foreground; for a checklist and general comments, see the sketchbook’s Introduction. In this slight but atmospheric view, a barge laden with hay is seen on a river with trees beyond, indicated with extreme economy; compare the views of a barge under a bridge on folios 14 recto and 15 recto (D18616, D18617). While some of these watercolours seem to be improvisations (in particular the stormy seas of folios 12 recto and 13 recto; D18614, D18615), the immediacy of the contre-jour lighting here and the note of a colour effect written with the brush suggest at least a basis in direct observation.