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

Turner scholar David Hill suggests that this drawing, made with the page turned horizontally and apparently in the middle of Windermere, was done in the boat in which Turner travelled south from Waterhead to Bowness; see the preceding and following drawings, folios 67 recto, 68 recto, 70 recto and 71 recto (D01054, D01055, D01057, D01058; Turner Bequest XXXV 52, 53, 55, 56). It is curious that the bottom edge of the composition (the outside edge of the leaf) has been cut away; it may have held the inscription by Turner that Ruskin claims to have transcribed in his note verso. Even more unusual is the fact of such a specific ‘title’: most of the drawings in this book are identified by the briefest of place names; for instance, on the following leaf (D01057) Turner has placed the simple initial ‘W’ to indicate that this too is a view at Windermere.

Technical notes:

The lower edge of the leaf (about 17mm) has been cut off (see the comments above).

Verso:

Blank; stamped in brown ink with Turner Bequest monogram; inscribed by John Ruskin in pencil ‘Turners title. Lower end of Winder -. JR.’; and by A.J. Finberg in pencil ‘141.54’.