Joseph Mallord William Turner

Ships in a Calm

c.1799–1802

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In Tate Britain

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Artist
Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Part of
Studies for Pictures Sketchbook
Medium
Ink and graphite on paper
Dimensions
Support: 135 × 210 mm
Collection
Tate
Acquisition
Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
Reference
D04115
Turner Bequest LXIX 100

Catalogue entry

It is not clear why Finberg titled this drawing, made with the page turned horizontally, ‘Sea Piece: Evening’.1 It is one of a long series in this book showing shipping in calm weather; the drawing on folio 93 recto (D04108; Turner Bequest LXIX 94), which includes a ship firing a gun, is likely to show an evening or possibly morning scene. The central ship presented bow-on recurs on folios 10 recto and 17 recto (D04004, D04011).
1
See Finberg 1909, I, p.173.
Verso:
Blank; inscribed by Ruskin in red ink ‘83’.

Andrew Wilton
May 2013

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