Joseph Mallord William Turner

Figures, Including a Fisherman Looking out to Sea

c.1826–40

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In Tate Britain

Prints and Drawings Room

View by appointment

Artist: Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Medium: Chalk, crayon and watercolour on paper
Dimensions: Support: 138 × 191 mm
Collection: Tate
Acquisition: Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
Reference: D24619
Turner Bequest CCLIX 54

Catalogue entry

Only the fisherman in a characteristic sou’wester hat at the bottom right is fully developed, standing purposefully with hands on hips and apparently looking out to sea. Those beyond are probably other fishermen or women. See the Introduction for other examples.

As discussed there, this is one of the subjects of figures by the sea which Ian Warrell tentatively suggested as linked to Brighton around 1827, while noting that they could equally well show scenes in England or France on other occasions.1

See Warrell 1989, pp.120, 123 note 114.

Verso:

Blank; inscribed in pencil ‘54–68’ top left; inscribed in pencil ‘D24619’ bottom right. There is a border of white paper or tape, indicating that the sheet was formerly mounted.

Matthew Imms
December 2015

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