'Study of a Rock, Probably in St Bride's Bay', Joseph Mallord William Turner

Artwork details

Artist

Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775‑1851)

Title

Study of a Rock, Probably in St Bride's Bay

From Smaller South Wales Sketchbook

Turner Bequest XXV

Date 1795

Dimensionssupport: 205 x 130 mm

Collection

Tate

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

Reference

D00479

Turner Bequest XXV 18

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

Turner's sketchbooks

View this artwork in the Smaller South Wales Sketchbook

Catalogue entry

Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851

Folio 18 Recto:

Study of a Rock, Probably in St Bride’s Bay 1795

D00479
Turner Bequest XXV 18

Pencil on white wove paper, 205 x 130 mm
Inscribed by John Ruskin in red ink ‘18’ bottom left, descending vertically
Stamped in black ‘XXV 18’ bottom left, descending vertically

Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856

References

The subject was drawn with the page turned vertically. Turner made drawings of several rocks on this and the following four pages, folios 19 recto–22 recto (D00480–D00483); the inscription on folio 20 recto (D00481) may identify the location of all of them.

Compare the studies of sea and rocks on the south west Welsh coast in the South Wales sketchbook (Tate D00583, D00585–D00587, D00595; Turner Bequest XXVI 30, 32, 33, 34, 41), and the watercolour that he took out of that book and mounted as a finished work (Tate D00582; Turner Bequest XXVI 29).

Verso:

Blank; stamped in brown ink with Turner Bequest monogram.

Andrew Wilton
April 2012

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.