Joseph Mallord William Turner

Carlisle

1831

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In Tate Britain

Prints and Drawings Room

View by appointment

Artist: Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Part of: Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border Sketchbook
Medium: Graphite on paper
Dimensions: Support: 114 x 187 mm
Collection: Tate
Acquisition: Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
Reference: D25848
Turner Bequest CCLXVI 44 a

Catalogue entry

This page, used with the book inverted, forms half of a double-page sketch of Carlisle continued on folio 45 (D25849). It was probably made from Eden Bridge to the north of the town as in the sketch at the top of folio 43 verso (D25846), and includes the River Eden and its banks in the foreground; in fact the riverbank at the bottom right of the page is compositionally almost identical to folio 44 (D25847).

On the present page we see the town to the west of the castle, with part of the castle at the left of the page. A church spire, which is no longer extant, is at the centre of the page, and to its right the masts of three of four boats indicate the River Caldew which joins the Eden at the north of the castle. In the distance can be seen the outline of Skiddaw about twenty miles away to the south-west.

For references to further views of Carlisle in this sketchbook see folio 39 verso (D25838).

Thomas Ardill
September 2009

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