Joseph Mallord William Turner

Italian River Scenes with Houses, Bridges, Boats and Figures; the Arches and ‘Ala’ of the Amphitheatre at Verona

1819

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Not on display

Artist
Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Part of
Milan to Venice Sketchbook
Medium
Graphite on paper
Dimensions
Support: 112 × 185 mm
Collection
Tate
Acquisition
Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
Reference
D14361
Turner Bequest CLXXV 24

Catalogue entry

There are two small views at the top, framed by horizontal and vertical pencil lines, perhaps showing aspects of the same riverside setting with bridges, low buildings and small boats. The kneeling figure at the bottom right appears to be a more detailed repetition of the one by the water at the top right, and perhaps shows a fisherman in a broad-brimmed hat with baskets scattered around.
Assuming the sketch was made in sequence, the artist was probably not far west of Verona at this stage (see under folio 25 recto; D14363); at the bottom left, inverted, is a detail of the arches and ‘ala’ or wing on the outer perimeter at the north end of the city’s Roman amphitheatre, and other aspects are shown on subsequent pages.

Matthew Imms
March 2017

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