Joseph Mallord William Turner

This sketch depicts a view of the so-called Temple of Vesta, a circular ruin dating from the first century BC, which stands on the edge of the gorge at the northern edge of the town. The hasty character of the lines and the areas of cross-hatching and heavy shading suggest that Turner was sketching at the end of the day when the light was failing in the west and parts of the landscape were cast into deep shadow. For a detailed description and further sketches of the Temple of Vesta see folio 3 verso (D14938).