Joseph Mallord William Turner

Dumfries and Lincluden Abbey

1831

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In Tate Britain

Prints and Drawings Room

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Artist: Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Part of: Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border Sketchbook
Medium: Graphite on paper
Dimensions: Support: 187 × 114 mm
Collection: Tate
Acquisition: Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
Reference: D25870
Turner Bequest CCLXVI 55 a

Catalogue entry

The two sketches on this page are of the town of Dumfries and Lincluden Abbey (which is just to the north of the town). With the sketchbook turned to the right the sketch at the top of the page probably shows the ruins of the nave of Lincluden Collegiate Church. To its left are three architectural details: a narrow niche, a carved square shield, and another shield with an inscription transcribed above it.

Across the centre of the page is a sketch of bridges over the River Nith at Dumfries. The view is from the north and shows the bridge that now carries the A780 road with Devorgilla Bridge behind it. There is a windmill at the right and at the left are three towers which are, from left to right, Greyfriars Kirk, Midsteeple and St Michael’s Church.

There is another view from the opposite side on the two bridges on folio 56 (D25871). That sketch continues slightly onto the bottom of the present page.

Thomas Ardill
September 2009

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