Joseph Mallord William Turner

This sketch is one of a series of views depicting the town of Moncalieri, approximately five miles south of Turin. This page contains part of a panoramic view looking south and west from the Castello Reale, a residence of the ruling House of Savoy which stands on the high ground to the north of the town. Turner’s viewpoint is a high terrace near the south-west tower of the castle and visible on this side of the vista is the landscape surrounding Moncalieri, including the River Po and the smaller Sangone stream.1 Dominating the background are the distant Alps, including the distinctive pyramid peak of Monte Viso. The composition is continued on folio 21 (D14184; Turner Bequest CLXXIV 20). Turner peeled back the first sheet in order to continue the drawing on this underlying page.

For a list of further views of Moncalieri see folio 17 (D14176; Turner Bequest CLXXIV 16).