Traben and Trarbach face each other across the Mosel and in Turner's day were linked by the flying bridge seen on the left of no.57. In his four studies of these towns he shows contrasting views and handles his materials very differently. No.57 (painted on white prepared with a blue wash rather than on blue paper) looks downstream at both towns, while the feathery no.60 looks upstream at Trarbach alone. In the moonlit no.58 Turner's viewpoint is well away from the Mosel, on the southern fringes of Trarbach, and in the much more richly painted no.59 he is looking down on its many towers from close to its ruined castle.
Gallery label, August 2004
Does this text contain inaccurate information or language that you feel we should improve or change? We would like to hear from you.