The two views of Carrick Castle on this page were made as Turner was travelling up Loch Goil during a round trip by steamboat and road to Loch Long, Loch Goil, the head of Loch Fyne, Glen Croe and down the length of Loch Long (see Tour of Scotland for Scott’s Poetical Works 1831 Tour Introduction for details).
Having sketched the mouth of Loch Goil on folio 1 verso (
D26620), Turner’s boat entered Loch Goil and the artist made the sketch at the top of the present page of Carrick Castle from the south-east. Turner’s next view of the castle, sketched below, was from the north as his boat travelled towards Lochgoilhead. Here the castle is seen on a small promontory beneath the mountains along the western shore of the loch. There are similar views on folio 4 verso (
D26626) and several other pages of the present sketchbook (see 4 verso for references).
Turner had another opportunity to sketch the castle from the south-east as he passed the mouth of Lochgoil on his return journey down Loch Long. There is a sketch of this view on folio 15 verso (
D26648), and two more in the
Stirling and the West sketchbook (Tate
D26470,
D26471; Turner Bequest CCLXX 18, 18a).
At the right of the page with the sketchbook turned to the right are a couple of jagged lines representing the outlines of mountains or distant hills. These are too slight to be identifiable.
Thomas Ardill
October 2009
