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

These are the last two sketches that Turner made of Doune Castle as he was departing to the west. Drawn with the sketchbook turned to the left, both sketches depict the castle and the Teith Bridge which crosses the River Teith at the village of Doune to the west of the castle. Having approached the castle from Dunblane to the west, Turner circuited the castle and studied it from every direction before continuing west on his journey towards Callander; see folio 52 verso (D26358) for references to further sketches. A sketch of the castle on folio 63 verso (D26379) was probably made from the bridge.

The sketch at the top of the page was made from just west of Teith Bridge and depicts the main structure of the castle as well as the heavily wooded riverbank and Dunyat Hill beyond. The sketch beneath was made from a little further off where the river starts to turn to the north. The relative positions of the castle, bridge and hill have therefore shifted slightly and there is more emphasis on the river bank in the foreground. A two-word inscription at the bottom of the page has not been fully deciphered, though the first word appears to say ‘Don’, which may be Turner’s attempt to write ‘Doune’.