Joseph Mallord William Turner

Neath: The Ruined West Front of the Abbey Church

1795

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In Tate Britain

Prints and Drawings Room

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Artist
Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Part of
Smaller South Wales Sketchbook
Medium
Dimensions
Support: 205 × 130 mm
Collection
Tate
Acquisition
Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
Reference
D00477
Turner Bequest XXV 16

Catalogue entry

The Abbey at Neath was a Cistercian (originally Savignac) foundation of the twelfth century. After the Dissolution in the sixteenth century part of the cloisters was converted into a grand residence by Sir Richard Williams. By the eighteenth century the whole complex had become an impressive ruin, part of which was used for copper smelting and casting.
A ‘Monro School’ drawing of part of the ruins of Neath Abbey, ascribed to Turner but possibly by Edward Dayes (1763–1804), is cited by Jenkins;1 it was offered at Christie’s, London, 21 November 2002 (43, reproduced in colour).
Turner’s drawing was made with the page turned vertically.
1
Jenkins 1975, pp.68–9.
Verso:
Blank; stamped in brown ink with Turner Bequest monogram.

Andrew Wilton
April 2012

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