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

This elevated view is between lightly indicated trees, up the River Ilz towards Hals, with the spire of St Achatius’s Church at the bend, and that of the parish church of St George beyond to the north-north-west. To the right of the latter, houses climb the narrow neck of one of the river’s tight meanders up to the jagged ruins of Burg Hals; see Tate D33667 (Turner Bequest CCCXL 2), a colour study in this sketchbook showing the castle from the valley floor, looking back in this direction. Towards the skyline to the left of Burg Hals is the keep of Burg Reschenstein, itself commanding the neck of a second meander to the north-west (see D33666; CCCXL 1).

The viewpoint is the heights north of the Oberhaus fortress, which overlooks the confluence of the Ilz with the Danube and the Inn at Passau in the opposite direction (see D33668; CCCXL 3), but denser trees now obstruct a clear view. There is a variant pencil view on D33670 (CCCXL 4), from a little further west and nearer to Hals. For other contemporary views of Hals, Burg Hals and Passau, see the sketchbook’s Introduction.

Verso:

Blank; inscribed by John Ruskin in red ink ‘Book no 12’ bottom left; inscribed in pencil ‘CCCXL 4’ top right; stamped in black with Turner Bequest monogram over ‘CCCXL – 4’ bottom right.