Joseph Mallord William Turner

Studies of Venetian Boats Including a Gondola, Figures and Headgear

1819

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Artist: Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Part of: Milan to Venice Sketchbook
Medium: Graphite on paper
Dimensions: Support: 112 × 185 mm
Collection: Tate
Acquisition: Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
Reference: D14468
Turner Bequest CLXXV 80

Catalogue entry

Finberg subsequently annotated his 1909 Inventory entry (‘Various sketches of gondolas, figures, &c.’): ‘“[?Dirt]. Boat” [“]Dogana Boat”, Black Some yellow. Some Red Brass”’.1 These studies of boats, boatmen and their costumes fall between views on the Grand Canal around the Rialto Bridge, themselves crammed with boats of all sorts, although Turner also mentions the Dogana (see in particular folio 40 recto; D14389) in his annotations.

For other studies of boats in this sketchbook, see under folio 37 recto (D14383), and for figures see under folio 18 verso (D14351).

Undated MS note by A.J. Finberg (died 1939) in copy of Finberg 1909, Tate Britain Prints and Drawings Room, I, p.515.

Technical notes:

There is a small oily stain near the centre which has also evident on the verso (D14469).

Matthew Imms
March 2017

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