Joseph Mallord William Turner

The Sun Reflected on the Sea ?near Boulogne

1845

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In Tate Britain

Prints and Drawings Room

View by appointment

Artist: Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Part of: Ambleteuse and Wimereux Sketchbook
Medium: Graphite and watercolour on paper
Dimensions: Support: 238 × 325 mm
Collection: Tate
Acquisition: Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
Reference: D35395
Turner Bequest CCCLVII 10

Catalogue entry

As in the preceding three works as originally constituted in the sketchbook (D35392–D35394; Turner Bequest CCCLVII 7–9), this page seeks to catch the effect of a low sun reflected on the sea. With rather more precision than in those cases, the globe of the sun and its long reflection on the water are ‘lifted off’ from the surrounding washes. Particular attention has been paid to the form and position of scudding clouds, vividly tinted dark pink, ochre, and grey-blue.

On the other side of this sheet is D35396 (Turner Bequest CCCLVII 10a), which is inscribed with the Tate accession number ‘D35395’ referring to the present sketch.

John Chu
December 2013

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