Joseph Mallord William Turner

This page contains a sequence of sketches looking in various directions from the coastal road from Cava de’ Tirreni, at a point between Salerno and Vietri sul Mare. Three of these studies, including the one at the bottom, depict the view looking east across the town and bay of Salerno, with the surrounding mountainous peaks which form the backdrop to the coastline before it eases into the plain of Paestum. For a more detailed record of the same prospect see folio 40 verso (D15987; Turner Bequest CLXXXVI 38a). Turner had made a copy of a similar view after John ‘Warwick’ Smith (1749–1831) in the Italian Guide Book sketchbook (see Tate D13971; Turner Bequest CLXXII 21a), and is also likely to have been familiar with a drawing by James Hakewill (1778–1843), with whom he collaborated on the print project, Picturesque Views in Italy (published 1820).1