Joseph Mallord William Turner

Apart from a few lines continuing, to the right, the sketch of Mossdale upper falls on folio 38 recto (D11549; Turner Bequest CXLVIII 16 now bound opposite), the main subjects here, inverted in relation to the sketch of Mossdale, are a plan and a perspective of the roof and front of a small building, possibly a gatehouse. At about this time Turner designed new gate lodges for Farnley Hall, the home of his Yorkshire patron Walter Fawkes.1 Drawings of the lodges occur in the Farnley sketchbook (Tate D12017–D12018, D12019–D12020; Turner Bequest CLIII 13a–14, 14a–15). John Gage associated the present designs with alterations to Turner’s Gallery at Harley Street and read the inscription as ‘Painting room’,2 but ‘Pantry’ is preferred here, and the building seems far too small to have any connection with Turner’s Harley Street house.

The sketch of Mossdale Falls is inverted in relation to the main sequence of subjects in the sketchbook. A fairly comprehensive reordering of this part of the book appears to be required. For further comment see notes to folio 33 verso (D11576; Turner Bequest CXLVIII 31a).