Joseph Mallord William Turner

Finberg later annotated his 1909 Inventory entries for folios 29 recto and verso and 30 recto (D31846–D31848: ‘Campanile, &c.’): ‘scaffolding shown | all from a gondola on Basino [sic]’.1 The Turner scholar C.F. Bell similarly marked another copy, albeit describing the viewpoints as ‘from a gondola on the Canale di S. Marco’,2 which appears incorrect.

With the page turned horizontally, the main view shows the campanile of San Marco (St Mark’s), lightly drawn but unmistakable owing to the tiers of scaffolding around its spire (a key pointer to 1840 as the date; see the tour Introduction).3 Below to its right are loose indications of the Basilica and the Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace), facing south across the Bacino. The more detailed view on the verso (D31847) shows much the same aspect from a little further west; compare also the rather slighter sketch on folio 28 verso opposite (D31845), which may also include the tower and palace.

The low structure in the foreground appears to be complemented by the more substantial buildings drawn separately at the top right, which seem to form a continuation to the right, with what may be a steamer approaching. Together, these elements suggest the viewpoint as the Canale della Grazia, between the islands of the Giudecca and San Giorgio Maggiore. There are still boatsheds at the eastern tip of the Giudecca, while the fenestration of the other buildings corresponds with that of the monastery complex lining the opposite side south of the church of San Giorgio; compare the sketches on folios 40 recto and verso (D31868–D31869), and a contemporary watercolour showing the view to St Mark’s from the channel (Tate D32156; Turner Bequest CCCXVI 19).

This is one of a several studies in this book (see also folios 16 verso, 22 recto and verso, 25 verso, 32 recto and 41 verso; D31822, D31833–D31834, D31839, D31852, D31871) noted by Ian Warrell, many of which show the sun setting from the vicinity of San Giorgio Maggiore, in connection with an anecdote by the watercolourist William Callow (1812–1908), who recalled relaxing in a gondola and seeing Turner still busy working at that late hour, sketching the church from another boat.4