Joseph Mallord William Turner

This sheet is one of a series of sketches associated with a tour of the Seine with a proposed dating of 1827–9. The studies are characterised by the use of pen and ink on blue paper; for more information see the Introduction to this section.

Turner made different sketches on the upper and lower parts of this sheet, which have been identified by the art historian Ian Warrell as showing the quayside at Rouen (lower) and the church of Notre-Dame at Louviers (upper).1 There are various other views of both towns catalogued within this section. For a list of other studies of the industrial city of Rouen catalogued within this section, see the entry for Tate D24839 (Turner Bequest CCLX 3). The ‘diligence’ coach and horses seen in the foreground of the upper study was the public stage coach; Turner made it the focus of one of his other views of Louviers (Tate D24902; Turner Bequest CCLX 66). For other views of the town and its church see Tate D24840, D24902, D24909, D24950, D24962, D24967 (Turner Bequest CCLX 4, 66, 73, 114, 126, 131).

Verso:

The sheet has been laid down on heavy paper so the verso could not be examined at the time of cataloguing.