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

This page contains two views of Siena, the upper of which is inverted relative to the sketchbook’s foliation. As identified by Cecilia Powell, it depicts the city’s thirteenth-century public fountain, the Fontebranda, designed with three recessed Gothic arches, a crenellated roof, and water jets shaped as lions.1 Traditionally, the fountain served the local textiles and tanning trades by facilitating the water-intensive processes of dyeing and tanning.2 Beyond the fountain, perched on the tree-lined slopes to the north-west, is the Basilica of San Domenico. For further views of this basilica, see folios 14 recto, 16 recto and 17 recto (D21614, D21618, D21620).

In the lower half of the page (the top as foliated), is a distant view of the basilica encompassing more of Siena’s hilly topography. Turner’s viewpoint appears to be from the north-east. The street name inscribed to the right is partly illegible, but may read ‘Via de Fontana’.

For further commentary on Turner’s first visit to Siena in 1828, together with a list of relevant works in the sketchbook, see under folio 10 verso (D21607).