Joseph Mallord William Turner

Franchimont with the Church of Saints Hermes and Alexander, Theux

c.1839

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In Tate Britain

Prints and Drawings Room

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Artist
Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Part of
Meuse-Moselle Gouache and Watercolour Drawings
Medium
Gouache, pen and ink and watercolour on paper
Dimensions
Support: 141 × 192 mm
Collection
Tate
Acquisition
Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
Reference
D20280
Turner Bequest CCXXII U

Display caption

Before travelling up the Meuse, Turner made an excursion from Liège to Spa which took him past the ruined medieval castle of Franchimont, the stronghold of William de la Marck, the 'Wild Boar of the Ardennes', whose dire exploits are described in Sir Walter Scott's novel 'Quentin Durward'. Turner's five gouache studies, showing Franchimont from different stages of his journey, have stylistic and colouristic elements in common but each has its own special mood. In no.109 he suggests a pearly dawn with the castle just catching the first rosy light of morning; no.111 is bristling with Romantic energy; while nos.112-113 enjoy a lighter mood.

Gallery label, August 2004

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