'Continuation of a View of Edinburgh from Leith, with the Royal Squadron at Anchor', Joseph Mallord William Turner

Artwork details

Artist

Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775‑1851)

Title

Continuation of a View of Edinburgh from Leith, with the Royal Squadron at Anchor

From King's Visit to Edinburgh Sketchbook

Turner Bequest CC

Date 1822

MediumGraphite on paper

Dimensionssupport: 114 x 187 mm

Collection

Tate

Acquisition Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856

Reference

D17617

Turner Bequest CC 63

View this artwork by appointment, at Tate Britain's Prints and Drawings Rooms

Turner's sketchbooks

View this artwork in the King's Visit to Edinburgh Sketchbook

Catalogue entry

Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851

Folio 63 Recto:

Continuation of a View of Edinburgh from Leith, with the Royal Squadron at Anchor 1822

D17617
Turner Bequest CC 63

Pencil on white wove paper, 114 x 187 mm
Inscribed in pencil by Turner ?‘no | 1’ | ?‘this L[...] the Yacht’ left
Inscribed in red ink by John Ruskin ‘63’ bottom right
Blindstamped with the Turner Bequest stamp bottom right about the stamped Finberg number
Stamped in black ‘CC 62’ bottom right

Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856

References

Although both sketches on this page appear to be a continuation of the drawing on folio 62 verso (D17616) they are in fact distinct drawings of the same subjects. The top sketch is of Leith harbour with the signal tower or lighthouse at the end of the now-demolished West Pier at the left, and the Signal House to its right on The Shore. Behind the harbour at the right is the profile of Arthur’s Seat.

The lower sketch shows the same stretch of Leith with Arthur’s Seat and also Calton Hill but with ships of the royal squadron at anchor in Leith Roads. The inscription ‘no 1’ may correspond to a proposed picture of ‘The Mission of Walter Scott’ (see folio 62 verso), and the rest of the inscription may refer to a ‘yacht’; perhaps George IV’s yacht, the Royal George, although it does not appear to be in the picture. (See King’s Visit to Edinburgh 1822 Sketchbook Introduction for references to more sketches of Leith and the royal squadron).

Verso:

Blank

Thomas Ardill
September 2008

Read this catalogue entry in full

This catalogue entry is part of: David Blayney Brown (ed.), J.M.W. Turner: Sketchbooks, Drawings and Watercolours, December 2012.