Joseph Mallord William Turner

The drawing was made with the page turned horizontally. As identified by Finberg and Cecilia Powell,1 it shows the Pfalz (Burg Pfalzgrafenstein) on its island in the Rhine, with Kaub beyond on the east bank and Burg Gutenfels high above it, looking north-west down the river. There are the sails of a barge in the foreground, also shown in the similar view on the recto (D30566).

Powell has noted that Turner neared the end of this tour following ‘the familiar route of the Rhine between Mainz and Cologne. He almost certainly travelled by steamer, ... sketching most of the well-known sights perfunctorily as he passed.’2 Given that this sketchbook was used in reverse of its subsequent foliation, she has specified the overall range of this phase as ‘TB CCCIII 68v–20v; 11r’,3 indicating folios 12 recto and 21 verso–69 verso (D30479, D30497–D30592; Turner Bequest CCCIII 20a–68a); see this book’s Introduction for the full itinerary of this part of the journey.

For other Pfalz views in this sketchbook and elsewhere, see under folio 55 verso (D30565; CCCIII 54a), and for Kaub and Burg Gutenfels, under folio 54 verso (D30563; CCCIII 53a).

Technical notes:

There is a narrow stroke or splash of what appears to be ink below left of centre, which has bled through to the recto (D30566).