Joseph Mallord William Turner

Distant Views of the Aurelian Wall, Rome; Including the Porta San Lorenzo and the Temple of Minerva Medica

1819

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In Tate Britain

Prints and Drawings Room

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Artist
Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Part of
Albano, Nemi, Rome Sketchbook
Medium
Graphite on paper
Dimensions
Support: 113 x 189 mm
Collection
Tate
Acquisition
Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
Reference
D15432
Turner Bequest CLXXXII 70 a

Catalogue entry

All three of these sketches depict sections of the Aurelian Wall in Rome from a location near the Church of San Lorenzo fuori le mura. Two of the views (top and bottom left) can be identified as the same view standing outside of the walls looking south-west towards the Porta San Lorenzo (also known as the Porta Tiburtina), see folio 63 verso (D15416; Turner Bequest CLXXXII 62a). The circular building visible beyond the walls is the ruin Temple of Minerva Medica, see folio 56 (D15401; Turner Bequest CLXXXII 55). It is not possible to identify the location of the sketch in the bottom right-hand corner with any certainty but Turner has included some atmospheric detail such as the clouds gathered over the walls. The sun is low in the sky and Turner notes that its setting rays have turned the sky ‘yellow’. The drawing spills over onto the opposite sheet of the double-page spread, see folio 72 (D15433; Turner Bequest CLXXXII 71). Also see this page for further studies of the Temple of Minerva Medica and the Porta San Lorenzo.
Related compositions can be found in the Small Roman C. Studies sketchbook (Tate D16436–D16438; Turner Bequest CXC 27a–29) and the Rome C. Studies sketchbook (Tate D16363; Turner Bequest CLXXXIX 36).

Nicola Moorby
May 2008

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Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘View of the Aurelian Walls, Rome, with the Temple of Minerva Medica and the Porta San Lorenzo’ 1819

Joseph Mallord William Turner View of the Aurelian Walls, Rome, with the Temple of Minerva Medica and the Porta San Lorenzo

1819
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Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘View of the Aurelian Walls, Rome, with the Temple of Minerva Medica and the Porta San Lorenzo’ 1819

Joseph Mallord William Turner View of the Aurelian Walls, Rome, with the Temple of Minerva Medica and the Porta San Lorenzo

1819
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Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Three Views in Rome: Including the Porta San Lorenzo and the Temple of Minerva Medica’ 1819

Joseph Mallord William Turner Three Views in Rome: Including the Porta San Lorenzo and the Temple of Minerva Medica

1819
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Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘View of the Aurelian Walls, Rome, with the Temple of Minerva Medica, Porta San Lorenzo and Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore’ 1819

Joseph Mallord William Turner View of the Aurelian Walls, Rome, with the Temple of Minerva Medica, Porta San Lorenzo and Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore

1819
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Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Four Sketches of the Aurelian Walls, Rome, Including the Porta Maggiore’ 1819

Joseph Mallord William Turner Four Sketches of the Aurelian Walls, Rome, Including the Porta Maggiore

1819
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Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Temple of Minerva Medica, Rome’ 1819

Joseph Mallord William Turner Temple of Minerva Medica, Rome

1819
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Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Temple of Minerva Medica, Rome’ 1819

Joseph Mallord William Turner Temple of Minerva Medica, Rome

1819
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Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Sections of the Aurelian Walls, Rome: Including San Giovanni in Laterano and the Porta San Giovanni; and the Amphitheatre Castrense’ 1819

Joseph Mallord William Turner Sections of the Aurelian Walls, Rome: Including San Giovanni in Laterano and the Porta San Giovanni; and the Amphitheatre Castrense

1819
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Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Two Views of the Temple of Minerva Medica and the Claudian Aqueduct’ 1819

Joseph Mallord William Turner Two Views of the Temple of Minerva Medica and the Claudian Aqueduct

1819
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Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘View from Monte Testaccio, Rome, with the Aurelian Walls; and a Distant View of the Caelian Hill’ 1819

Joseph Mallord William Turner View from Monte Testaccio, Rome, with the Aurelian Walls; and a Distant View of the Caelian Hill

1819
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Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘The So-Called Temple of Minerva Medica and the Porta San Lorenzo, Rome, at Sunset’ 1819

Joseph Mallord William Turner The So-Called Temple of Minerva Medica and the Porta San Lorenzo, Rome, at Sunset

1819
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Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Two Sketches Showing the Exterior and Interior of the Temple of Minerva Medica, Rome’ 1819

Joseph Mallord William Turner Two Sketches Showing the Exterior and Interior of the Temple of Minerva Medica, Rome

1819
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Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Two Views from near Piazza di San Giovanni in Laterano, Rome; with Santi Quattro Coronati and the Colosseum; and a Distant View of the Temple of Minerva Medica’ 1819

Joseph Mallord William Turner Two Views from near Piazza di San Giovanni in Laterano, Rome; with Santi Quattro Coronati and the Colosseum; and a Distant View of the Temple of Minerva Medica

1819
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Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Two Sketches in Rome: Porta San Sebastiano and the Aurelian Walls; and the Via Appia Antica’ 1819

Joseph Mallord William Turner Two Sketches in Rome: Porta San Sebastiano and the Aurelian Walls; and the Via Appia Antica

1819
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Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘The Villa Rondanini, on the Road Approaching the Porta San Lorenzo, Rome; and Part of the Aurelian Wall, Rome’ 1819

Joseph Mallord William Turner The Villa Rondanini, on the Road Approaching the Porta San Lorenzo, Rome; and Part of the Aurelian Wall, Rome

1819
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