Beach

c.1830–45

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In Tate Britain

Prints and Drawings Room

View by appointment

Artist: Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Medium: Watercolour on paper
Dimensions: Support: 220 x 271 mm
Collection: Tate
Acquisition: Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
Reference: D35921
Turner Bequest CCCLXIV 78

Catalogue entry

This is one of a large number of sketches on loose sheets of paper seeming to depict coastal terrain. In this particular sketch, it has been suggested that the scenery depicted may belong to Austriaor the Italian Lakes due to the Austrian make of the paper.1 For the grouping and dating of these works to the middle and later periods of Turner’s career, see the section introduction.

Peter Bower, Turner’s Later Papers: A Study of the Manufacture, Selection and Use of his Drawing Papers 1820–1851, exhibition catalogue, Tate Gallery, London 1999, p.82 note 1.

Technical Notes:

Pinprick in bottom right-hand corner of the sheet. Tear on right-hand edge of the sheet towards the top corner.

Verso:

Pencil note reading ‘22’. Stamped in black with the Turner Bequest monogram and ‘CCCLXIV – 78’.

John Chu
June 2015

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