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

With the sketchbook turned upside down, here Turner has drawn a relatively detailed view of one of the narrow streets which wind around the site of Saint-Vulfran Collegiate Church in Abbeville, Picardy. The Gothic towers of the church rise above gabled rooftops at right. Turner has dashed off a note in French at rear which reads: ‘Signe de la Croix’ | ‘Vins [...]’ | ‘[...] [?Passagers]’ | ‘Rue de [?Chargs]’. The artist’s inscription is translated thus: ‘Sign of the Cross’ | ‘Wines [...]’ | ‘[...] [?Passengers]’ | ‘Street of [?Cargo/Load]’. The scene is continued on the folio opposite: Tate D19932; Turner Bequest CCXVI 191.

For other drawings of Abbeville, including Turner’s studies of the Saint-Vulfran Church in this sketchbook, see Tate D18582, D19929, D19933, D19935, D19937, D19943, D19945–D19948, D20116–D20117; Turner Bequest CCXI 37a, CCXVI 189a, 191a, 192a, 193a, 196a, 197a–199, CCXVII 22–23 and Tate Impression T04763.