Joseph Mallord William Turner

This sheet is one of a series of sketches associated with a tour of the Seine with a proposed dating of 1827–9. The studies are characterised by the use of pen and ink on blue paper; for more information see the Introduction to this section.

The Gothic cathedral in Évreux, Normandy, proved to be a draw for Turner, who made two pen and ink sketches focused on the building (Tate D24903, D24972; Turner Bequest CCLX 67, CCLX 136). This sheet, on the other hand, views the cathedral from a distance, situating it within the wider landscape. Ian Warrell has noted that this sheet also delineates the Tour de l’Horloge, a fifteenth century clock tower, or the church of St Taurin, revealing the hills Évreux is situated within in slightly exaggerated fashion.1

The figures seen in the foreground of this study are typical of the drawings forming part of this grouping, in which Turner frequently captured elements of day to day life in the environs of the Seine.

Technical notes:

The sheet shows evidence of light damage, apparently following past over exposure while displayed in a window mount.

Verso:

The sheet has been laid down on heavy paper and it was not possible to examine the verso at the time of cataloguing.