Joseph Mallord William Turner

Prague: The City and the Prospect down the Vltava from Petrín Hill

1835

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In Tate Britain

Prints and Drawings Room

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Artist
Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Part of
Prague, Nuremberg, Frankfurt and Rhine Sketchbook
Medium
Graphite on paper
Dimensions
Support: 118 × 190 mm
Collection
Tate
Acquisition
Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
Reference
D30773
Turner Bequest CCCIV 75

Catalogue entry

From the heights on Petrín Hill Turner was afforded an expansive prospect of Prague, the capital of Bohemia. Meandering through the centre of the city is the Vltava River, over which the Charles Bridge (named after Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV) can be seen. The Hradcany district, which slopes up a hill towards Prague Castle, is visible at left. Though the Castle itself is out of view, the imperial Cathedral of St Vitus can be seen.
Turner produced several views of Prague on the 1835 tour. For other drawings in this sketchbook Tate D30759–30761, D30764–D30765, D30767, D30771–D30773, D30775–D30777, D30779–D30783, D30788–D30790, D30792–D30803, D30805, D30807–D30811, D30813–D30820; Turner Bequest CCCIV 68–69, 70a–71, 72, 74–75, 76–77, 78–80, 82a–84, 85–91, 92, 93–96, 97–102. See also the Dresden, Tepliz and Prague sketchbook (Tate D30344–D30361, D30364–D30366; Turner Bequest CCCI 25–33a, 36–37).

Alice Rylance-Watson
December 2015

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