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

To the left of centre, Augsburg Cathedral is seen to the north-west across the Fronhof park, where mature trees now preclude a clear view. In the right foreground is the largely symmetrical west front of the Burggrafenturm, with its turreted corners and two open ground-floor arches; formerly an official residence, the building is now Peuteringstraße 24, housing a branch of the Deutschen Alpenvereins mountaineering club. Squeezed in towards the left are ranges of ecclesiastical buildings along the north side of the Fronhof, with a brief continuation at the top left including the medieval Pfalzturm at the north-western angle of the Fürstbischöfliche Residenz, the former Prince-Bishop’s palace; since 1817 it has been the seat of government for Bavaria’s Swabian district.1

This subject, north of the city centre, is the first of a continuous run (D32543–D32554) extending to folio 7 recto (CCCXXII 8), largely comprising a clockwise survey of the eastern section of the old city walls, and ending on folios 6 verso and 7 recto (D32553–D32554; CCCXXII 7a, 8) with the large former abbey church of SS. Ulrich and Afra at Augsburg’s southern end. The cathedral and church are both shown in the distance in the preceding Venice up to Trento sketchbook (see under Tate D31655; Turner Bequest CCCXII 30), where there are several studies around the city centre There are also scattered views of its north-western quarter in the Heidelberg up to Salzburg sketchbook, used on the outward leg of this tour (see under Tate D29930; Turner Bequest CCXCVIII 59).

These numerous sketchbook views are further complemented by four chalk and pencil studies of the city’s western walls and towers, on sheets of grey paper of the type often worked up with gouache and watercolour (Tate D33881, D33832, D33853–D33854; Turner Bequest CCCXLI 129, 147, 162–163). No finished works are known to have resulted, despite Turner’s diligent and wide-ranging studies. Apart from the 1833 route, the varied itineraries of Turner’s German tours as set out by Cecilia Powell do not pass through Augsburg;2 this is a key factor in dating the present sketchbook, as discussed in its Introduction. It was likely bought in the city once Venice up to Trento was full.

Technical notes:

The pale brown staining at the centre of the outer edge is owing to the leaf’s proximity to the leather pencil loop anchored under the front paste-down (D32541; CCCXXII 1).