Joseph Mallord William TurnerStudy of a Boat in the Harbour at ?Naples 1819

Turner was always fascinated by different types of shipping and studies of boats often form part of his visual record of a place. The port of Naples was one of the largest and busiest in Europe and the artist would have seen a wide variety of vessels in and around the city’s coastline, from small fishing craft to large sailing ships. This study appears to show a canvas-covered cargo ship docked in the harbour. For other studies see folios 19 and 21 verso (D15944 and D15949; Turner Bequest CLXXXVI 19 and 20a).