Joseph Mallord William Turner

Nelson’s Monument

1818

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Not on display
Artist
Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Part of
Bass Rock and Edinburgh Sketchbook
Medium
Graphite on paper
Dimensions
Support: 99 x 159 mm
Collection
Tate
Acquisition
Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
Reference
D13432
Turner Bequest CLXV 60 a

Catalogue entry

In this view of Nelson’s Monument on Calton Hill, Turner is standing just to the north-west of the tower so that he can see it and Arthur’s Seat behind. The main architectural features of the monument are shown including the tower’s division into stacked sections, designed to recall Nelson’s telescope, and the castellated building at its base (see folio 61; D13429; CLXV 59, for more information). Arthur’s Seat, though drawn only in outline, is distinctive enough from this angle to contain all the information that Turner needed for this sketch.
Below the hill is a path that leads Calton Hill, onto which Turner has inscribed ‘walk’, and, to the right of that is seen part of Calton Gaol, where St Andrew’s House now stands. Turner made several drawing of the Calton Hill in this sketchbook including a detailed close up of Nelson’s Monument (folio 61).

Thomas Ardill
November 2007

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