Joseph Mallord William Turner

Outline of the Bass Rock

1818

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In Tate Britain

Prints and Drawings Room

View by appointment

Artist: Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Part of: Scotch Antiquities Sketchbook
Medium: Graphite on paper
Dimensions: Support: 112 × 184 mm
Collection: Tate
Acquisition: Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
Reference: D40915

Catalogue entry

The inside front cover of this sketchbook has been left empty apart from a small, faint drawing in the top left corner of the outline of Bass Rock as seen from the shore. Turner made dozens of sketches of the island throughout the three 1818 Scottish tour sketchbooks (see Tour of Scotland 1818 Tour Introduction), some exploring its shape from different positions on land and sea, but many from this angle. It was as if he were carrying out an exercise to engrave its distinctive shape on his memory.

Thomas Ardill
February 2008

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