Joseph Mallord William Turner

This elemental evocation of a rainbow over a bright landscape has been noted in passing by Eric Shanes as possibly related to a colour study (Tate D25272; Turner Bequest CCLXIII 150)1 for the Ports of England watercolour design Plymouth (Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon);2 as the rainbow in that subject rises to the right, and it is usually dated to about 1825 in relation to its being engraved in 1828 (Tate impression: T04835), the 1828 watermark of the present sheet seems to preclude a direct connection. Nevertheless, just as in D25272, the bright colours of the rainbow itself are evoked by a contrast of a simple undeveloped arc of warm ochre against the cool blues of the sky. Compare also the full rainbow in Tate D17182 (Turner Bequest CXCVI R), watermarked 1816.

Technical notes:

The sheet is darkened and stained at the bottom right corner.

Verso:

Blank; inscribed by John Ruskin in pencil ‘AB 150 P | O’ top left, upside down; inscribed in pencil ‘CCLXIII | 174’ bottom right; stamped in black with Turner Bequest monogram over ‘CCLXIII – 174’ bottom right.

There is some heavy brown staining.