Joseph Mallord William Turner

Fountains Hall and Abbey are seen from the west-south-west, with the River Skell below. The Yorkshire 1 sketchbook has a detailed study of Fountains Hall from the same angle, but a closer viewpoint (Tate D10937–D10938; Turner Bequest CXLIV 37a–38), probably made to record close detail likely to be required for a finished composition developed from the present sketch. However, from Turner’s comment here that the ‘Distance [is] too much’, it would appear that he came to the conclusion that the viewpoint was too far away to serve his requirements.

The page is darkened from over-exposure.