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

Turner executed these two profiles of the Rhône valley as he made the two-day boat journey south from Lyon to Avignon. He possibly began the composition with the sketchbook turned vertically, progressing as far as the central detail before switching to a landscape orientation for a more extended panorama. The schematic appearance of both studies suggests the speed at which Turner worked; eager to exploit the sketching opportunities afforded by a moving boat, he quickly profiled the changing landscape around him. A precise location remains to be identified, although the subject is likely the stretch of river between Vienne and Andance, given the position of this work in the sketchbook’s chronology.

Technical notes:

A tear to the top-right edge of the page has been repaired with glue, which has caused a brown stain.