Joseph Mallord William Turner

This view of the Bridge of Sighs in Glasgow was made from the eastern bank of the Molendinar Burn, a stream that ran through Glasgow with the cathedral to the west and the Necropolis to the right. The bridge was built in 1833 to connect the cathedral and the burial ground. Although the stream has been covered by a culvert and Wishart Street now runs along its path the bridge still stands. Above the bridge to the left is the outline of Glasgow Cathedral. A crow-stepped gable to its left, which is repeated in a separate study above at the top left of the page, belongs to the tower of the old Barony Church (demolished circa 1890) which stood just to the south of the cathedral.1 This part of the church is also seen on folio 70 (D26392).

There is a much more developed sketch of the same view on folio 73 verso (D26399). For a full list of Turner’s sketches of Glasgow, see folio 73 verso.