Joseph Mallord William Turner

Distant Hills, Possibly between Gunislake and Plymouth

c.1813

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In Tate Britain

Prints and Drawings Room

View by appointment
Artist
Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Part of
Chemistry and Apuleia Sketchbook
Medium
Graphite on paper
Dimensions
Support: 88 × 113 mm
Collection
Tate
Acquisition
Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
Reference
D09924
Turner Bequest CXXXV 22

Catalogue entry

The drawing continues on folio 21 verso opposite (D09923). The lack of landmarks makes the subject difficult to confirm, but it may relate to the succession of hills looking south towards Plymouth from Gunnislake in the background of Turner’s large painting Crossing the Brook, exhibited in 1815 (Tate N00497).1 There is a sketch of similar terrain, directly related to that part of the painting, in the Vale of Heathfield sketchbook (Tate D10274; Turner Bequest CXXXVII 48). For further discussion of various landscape and tree studies in this sketchbook in that context, see under folio 14 recto (D09910).
1
Martin Butlin and Evelyn Joll, The Paintings of J.M.W. Turner, revised ed., New Haven and London 1984, pp.93–4 no.130, pl.123 (colour).
Technical notes:
There is a dark vertical band towards the left, with small black spots at the top edge, corresponding with similar marks on the opposite page.
Verso:
Blank

Matthew Imms
April 2014

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