'Winchester: The West Front of the Cathedral', Joseph Mallord William Turner

Artwork details

Artist

Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775‑1851)

Title

Winchester: The West Front of the Cathedral

From Isle of Wight Sketchbook

Turner Bequest XXIV

Date 1795

MediumGraphite on paper

Dimensionssupport: 204 x 264 mm

Collection

Tate

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

Reference

D00417

Turner Bequest XXIV 11

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Turner's sketchbooks

View this artwork in the Isle of Wight Sketchbook

Catalogue entry

Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851

Folio 11 Recto:

Winchester: The West Front of the Cathedral 1795

D00417
Turner Bequest XXIV 11

Pencil, grey and brown wash on white wove paper, 204 x 264 mm
Inscribed by John Ruskin in red ink ‘11’ bottom left, descending vertically
Stamped in black ‘XXIV 11’ bottom left, descending vertically

Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856

References

The West Front of Winchester Cathedral dates from the second half of the fourteenth century, and incorporates William of Wykeham’s great Perpendicular window, the largest in the cathedral. The drawing was made with the page turned horizontally, and the composition is continued ‘above’ with a slight sketch of the gable pinnacle on folio 10 verso opposite (the verso of D00416).

Turner never made a finished view of the building, though he seems to have had one in mind, as he made a thumbnail composition sketch of it seen from the north on folio 14 recto (D00420; Turner Bequest XXIV 14a).

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.