Joseph Mallord William Turner

Sketches of Four Paintings by Claude in the Palazzo Doria-Pamphili, Rome

1819

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In Tate Britain

Prints and Drawings Room

View by appointment
Artist
Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Part of
Remarks (Italy) Sketchbook
Medium
Dimensions
Support: 115 × 94 mm
Collection
Tate
Acquisition
Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
Reference
D16849
Turner Bequest CXCIII 80 a

Catalogue entry

During his stay in Rome Turner made a series of copies of paintings by the artist he most admired, Claude Lorrain (circa 1604/5–1682). This page contains four sketches of pictures found in the Palazzo Doria-Pamphili (now the Galleria Doria-Pamphili) on the Via del Corso.1 The studies represent, from top to bottom:
a.
The uppermost study depicts Landscape with Dancing Figures (also traditionally known as The Mill or The Marriage of Isaac and Rebecca) circa 1648–9 (Galleria Doria-Pamphili).2 Turner has labelled the sketch ‘Molina’, the Italian word for mill. He may already have been familiar with a second version of this painting, Landscape with the Marriage of Isaac and Rebecca 1648 (National Gallery, London), which until 1823 was owned by London-based merchant John Julius Angerstein.3
b.
In the middle is a copy of View of Delphi with a Procession circa 1648–50 (Galleria Doria-Pamphili).4
c.
Bottom left represents Landscape with Apollo and Mercury 1645 (Galleria Doria-Pamphili).5 Turner has annotated the sketch ‘Blue’ to indicate the prominent vibrancy of the cloak of the foreground figure.
d.
Bottom right represents Landscape with Cephalus and Procris reunited by Diana 1645–6 (Galleria Doria-Pamphili).6 Turner has annotated the sketch ‘Dorio’ top right, and with colour notes ‘Bl’, ‘Blue’ and ‘Yelwo’ at the bottom.
Turner made further studies of paintings by Claude in the Barberini, Sciarra and Pallavicini collections, see folios 81 and 82 (D16848, D16850; Turner Bequest CXCIII 80 and 81), as well as in as well as in the Uffizi, Florence (see Rome and Florence sketchbook, Tate D16585; Turner Bequest CXCI 60). Cecilia Powell has discussed how his division of pages in the Remarks (Italy) sketchbook resembles that of his earlier copies of Claude’s works in the Fonthill sketchbook, 1804 (see Tate D41265; Turner Bequest XLVII 19a).7

Nicola Moorby
March 2011

1
First fully identified by Ziff 1965, p.62.
2
Reproduced in Warrell 2002, p.110, ill.48.
3
Reproduced in Powell 1987, p.168, pl.160.
4
Reproduced in colour in Warrell 2002, p.110, ill.49.
5
Reproduced in colour in ibid., p.112, ill.50.
6
Reproduced in ibid., p.113, ill.52.
7
Powell 1984, p.160.

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