Joseph Mallord William Turner

Lake Llanberis and Dolbadarn Castle

1799–1800

Image released under Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-ND (3.0 Unported)

License this image

In Tate Britain

Prints and Drawings Room

View by appointment
Artist
Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Part of
Drawings Related to the Welsh Tour of
Medium
Graphite and watercolour on paper
Dimensions
Support: 553 x 761 mm
Collection
Tate
Acquisition
Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
Reference
D04175
Turner Bequest LXX X

Display caption

Dolbadern Castle was one of Turner's favourite Welsh motifs. The distinctive round keep of the Norman castle stands on a rocky promontory at the edge of
Lake Llanberis.

 

The visual impact of Dolbadern was not the only fascination for Turner. He was also interested in the broader historical associations of the castle. It was thought to be the place where a Welsh prince
was imprisoned by his own brother for over twenty years. The perfect stillness
of the lake and sky lend an ethereal quality to this study.

 

Gallery label, September 2002

Does this text contain inaccurate information or language that you feel we should improve or change? We would like to hear from you.

Catalogue entry

Although not a finished work, this subject was brought to a point nearing completion after Turner had explored the motif in a series of monochrome studies of a view that evidently fascinated him. Dolbadarn Castle was the focus of many works in watercolour and oil executed about 1800, including his Diploma submission to the Royal Academy on election as Academician in 1802, the painting of the castle that he had shown in the 1800 exhibition there (Royal Academy of Arts, London).1
The preparatory studies are Tate D04180, D04181 and D04182 (Turner Bequest LXX c, d, e); a further, more detailed study is Tate D04176 (Turner Bequest LXX Y). The colour monochrome studies make use of an emphatic violet or purple; here the palette, still almost monochrome, is reduced to a cool and uniform grey, creating an atmosphere of magical calm. Indicated only in pencil, a boat with two people on board in the right foreground scarcely disturbs the surface of the still lake.
1
Martin Butlin and Evelyn Joll, The Paintings of J.M.W. Turner, revised ed., New Haven and London 1984, pp.9–10 no.12, pl.7 (colour).
Verso:
Blank; stamped in brown ink with Turner Bequest monogram.

Andrew Wilton
May 2013

Read full Catalogue entry

Explore

You might like

Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Dolbadarn Castle and Lake Llanberis from the North-West’ 1799

Joseph Mallord William Turner Dolbadarn Castle and Lake Llanberis from the North-West

1799
View by appointment D02060
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Lake Llanberis with Dolbadarn Castle’ 1799

Joseph Mallord William Turner Lake Llanberis with Dolbadarn Castle

1799
View by appointment D02139
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Dolbadarn and the Pass of Llanberis’ c.1799–1800

Joseph Mallord William Turner Dolbadarn and the Pass of Llanberis

c.1799–1800
View by appointment D04177
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Llanberis Lake and Dolbadarn Castle, with Snowdon Beyond’ c.1799–1800

Joseph Mallord William Turner Llanberis Lake and Dolbadarn Castle, with Snowdon Beyond

c.1799–1800
View by appointment D04176
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Dolbadarn Castle and Lake Llanberis’ 1798

Joseph Mallord William Turner Dolbadarn Castle and Lake Llanberis

1798
View by appointment D01300
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Dolbadarn Castle, Llanberis, with Glyder Fawr and Snowdon’ 1798

Joseph Mallord William Turner Dolbadarn Castle, Llanberis, with Glyder Fawr and Snowdon

1798
View by appointment D01388
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘?Dolbadarn Castle from the North-West, with the Pass of Llanberis Beyond’ 1799

Joseph Mallord William Turner ?Dolbadarn Castle from the North-West, with the Pass of Llanberis Beyond

1799
View by appointment D02053
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Dolbadarn Castle: Colour Study’ ?1799–1800

Joseph Mallord William Turner Dolbadarn Castle: Colour Study

?1799–1800
View by appointment D04166
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘View from Dolbadarn towards the Pass of Llanberis’ 1798

Joseph Mallord William Turner View from Dolbadarn towards the Pass of Llanberis

1798
View by appointment D01387
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Colour Study: Llanberis Lake and Snowdon’ c.1799–1800

Joseph Mallord William Turner Colour Study: Llanberis Lake and Snowdon

c.1799–1800
View by appointment D04182
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Two Studies of the Tower of Dolbadarn Castle in a Landscape Setting’ 1799

Joseph Mallord William Turner Two Studies of the Tower of Dolbadarn Castle in a Landscape Setting

1799
View by appointment D40546
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Dolbadarn Castle from Llyn Padarn’ 1799

Joseph Mallord William Turner Dolbadarn Castle from Llyn Padarn

1799
View by appointment D02026
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Dolbadarn Castle from the East’ 1799

Joseph Mallord William Turner Dolbadarn Castle from the East

1799
View by appointment D02049
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘View across Llanberis Lake towards Snowdon’ c.1799–1800

Joseph Mallord William Turner View across Llanberis Lake towards Snowdon

c.1799–1800
View by appointment D04181
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Study for the Composition of ‘Dolbadern Castle, North Wales’’ c.1799–1800

Joseph Mallord William Turner Study for the Composition of ‘Dolbadern Castle, North Wales’

c.1799–1800
View by appointment D04125