Joseph Mallord William Turner

Here Turner depicts the Charles Bridge in the Lesser Quarter of Prague, capital of Bohemia. Figures walking under the wide arch of the bridge have been dashed off in the foreground. Statues of saints mounted on plinths can be seen on the west side of the bridge, including what appears to be the sculptural group representing the Crucifixion shown on the folio opposite (Tate D30355; Turner Bequest CCCI 30a). Two of the gothic towers guarding the Lesser Quarter are shown, as well as St Nicholas’ Church at left.

Other drawings of Prague can be found at Tate D30344–D30361, D30364–D30366; Turner Bequest CCCI 25–33a, 36–37. The Prague, Nuremberg, Frankfurt and Rhine sketchbook of the same tour holds drawings of the city at 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.