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

From Turner’s inscription and the row of boats moored up along the harbour wall this sketch (continuing on folio 46; D13539) is identifiable as Port Edgar, next to Queensferry on the south of the Firth of Forth. The two boats in the foreground are drawn in some detail while the four or five others are represented in rough outlines. Beyond the port the view along the Forth shows the same stretch of river bank terminating at the right of folio 46 with the distant Blackness Castle as is depicted on folios 42 verso–43 and at the bottom of 44 (D13532–D13533, D13535). At the top of the double page, drawn with the book inverted, are five sketches of sailing boats. The three sketches on folio 46 are all of a two-masted boat with a headsail depicting its side twice and its bow once. On 45 verso are two sketches of a smaller, single sail vessel.

At the bottom of the present page, drawn with the book turned to the right is a sketch of a tower seen between two hills with various objects in the foreground. The sketch is inscribed ‘New Town’ which probably refers to ‘Newton’, a village with a tall church tower, about three-quarters of a mile south of Hopetoun House.