Joseph Mallord William Turner

This view of the Place Graslin dominated by the columned Grand Théâtre is one of several depictions of Nantes in gouache and watercolour on blue paper which Turner worked up after his 1826 visit to the city.1 The work is related to pencil sketches in the Morlaise to Nantes and Nantes, Angers and Saumur sketchbooks; see entry for Tate D23089, D23121 (Turner Bequest CCXLVII 48, 68a), D23151, D23154 and D23156 (Turner Bequest CCXLVIII 1, 2a, 3a).2 However the pencil sketch over which this colour study is built up may have been taken on the spot. See the Introduction to this section for a list of comparable studies of the city.

Technical Notes:

The sheet belongs to a batch of lightweight blue paper used by Turner made by George Steart of Bally, Ellen and Steart at De Montault Mill, Coombe Down, Bath.1

Verso:

Inscribed in pencil with the notes ‘16’ in the centre of the sheet and ‘clix [sic] . 14’ bottom right. Stamped in black with the Turner Bequest monogram and with ‘CCLIX – 14’ in the bottom left of the sheet.