Joseph Mallord William Turner

Inscription by Turner: Notes

c.1834–6

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In Tate Britain

Prints and Drawings Room

View by appointment

Artist: Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Part of: Colour Studies (1) Sketchbook [Finberg CCXCI (b)]
Medium: Graphite on paper
Dimensions: Support: 101 × 77 mm
Collection: Tate
Acquisition: Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
Reference: D28800
Turner Bequest CCXCI b 9 a

Catalogue entry

With the page turned vertically, there are some eight lines of handwriting, some comprising single words, with only occasional common words such as ‘and the’ and ‘for’ being readily legible; any attempt to read sense into the rest would necessarily be highly speculative, although the word at the top right may be a day of the week. The text is even more obscure than the names and associated data on folio 1 verso (D28791), and presumably comprises a typically scrawled note of pressing business.

Technical notes:

At the bottom left and right are blots of watercolour wash offset from the horizontal composition on folio 10 recto opposite (D28801).

Matthew Imms
May 2014

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