Joseph Mallord William Turner

The West Front of Rouen Cathedral

1821

Image released under Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-ND (3.0 Unported)

License this image

Not on display
Artist
Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Part of
Dieppe, Rouen and Paris Sketchbook
Medium
Graphite on paper
Dimensions
Support: 118 x 123 mm
Collection
Tate
Acquisition
Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
Reference
D24541
Turner Bequest CCLVIII 22

Catalogue entry

This detailed architectural study of the west front of Rouen Cathedral was the basis of a watercolour and gouache design of Rouen Cathedral c.1832 (Tate D24674; Turner Bequest CCLIX 109) for Turner’s Annual Tour: Wanderings by the Seine 1834 (Tate T06238). When he stood at the opening to the Rue du Petite-Salut opposite the west end of the cathedral to make this sketch, Turner was not able to encompass the height of the building into the landscape format of the sketch. He therefore continued the study by drawing the towers on folio 11 (Tate D24520; Turner Bequest CCLVIII 11).
His approach in this sketch has been described as ‘reminiscent of the elegant style of Turner’s adolescent architectural studies’.1 The composition, with its enclosed vista has also been likened to the contemporary style of Samuel Prout (1783–1852),2 and Ian Warrell has placed the sketch in the context of other contemporary topographical drawings and engravings of the cathedral.3
For a list of Turner’s sketches of Rouen in this book, see folio 1 (Tate D24500; Turner Bequest CCLVIII 1).

Thomas Ardill
February 2013

1
Warrell and Perkins 1988, p.21 no.55.
2
Lyles 1992, p.60 under 29.
3
Warrell 1999, pp.181–85.

Read full Catalogue entry

Explore

You might like

Left Right
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Towers of Rouen Cathedral from the East’ 1821

Joseph Mallord William Turner Towers of Rouen Cathedral from the East

1821
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Rouen Cathedral, Normandy’ c.1832

Joseph Mallord William Turner Rouen Cathedral, Normandy

c.1832
View by appointment
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Rouen Cathedral with the Portail de la Calende’ 1821

Joseph Mallord William Turner Rouen Cathedral with the Portail de la Calende

1821
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Rouen: Place de la Haute-Vieille-Tour and the Cathedral’ 1821

Joseph Mallord William Turner Rouen: Place de la Haute-Vieille-Tour and the Cathedral

1821
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Rouen Cathedral’ c.1832

Joseph Mallord William Turner Rouen Cathedral

c.1832
On display at Tate Britain part of Turner Collection
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Rouen Cathedral from the Grand Cours, Faubourg St-Sever; and Entrance to the Church of St Maclou, Rouen’ 1821

Joseph Mallord William Turner Rouen Cathedral from the Grand Cours, Faubourg St-Sever; and Entrance to the Church of St Maclou, Rouen

1821
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Rouen Cathedral, Normandy’ c.1832

Joseph Mallord William Turner Rouen Cathedral, Normandy

c.1832
On display at Tate Britain part of Turner Collection
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Screen to the Portail des Libraires, Rouen Cathedral, and Rue de la Grosse-Horloge’ 1821

Joseph Mallord William Turner Screen to the Portail des Libraires, Rouen Cathedral, and Rue de la Grosse-Horloge

1821
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘The West Front of the Cathedral at Reims’ 1836

Joseph Mallord William Turner The West Front of the Cathedral at Reims

1836
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Front of Cathedral’ c.1830–41

Joseph Mallord William Turner Front of Cathedral

c.1830–41
View by appointment
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Rouen Cathedral from the Place de la Haute-Vieille-Tour’ 1832

Joseph Mallord William Turner Rouen Cathedral from the Place de la Haute-Vieille-Tour

1832
View by appointment
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘The Cathedral and Entrance to the Bookseller’s Court at Rouen, Normandy’ c.1832

Joseph Mallord William Turner The Cathedral and Entrance to the Bookseller’s Court at Rouen, Normandy

c.1832
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Details of Cathedral Towers and Rue de la Grosse-Horloge’ 1821

Joseph Mallord William Turner Details of Cathedral Towers and Rue de la Grosse-Horloge

1821
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Street Scene, Rouen, with Cathedral’ 1821

Joseph Mallord William Turner Street Scene, Rouen, with Cathedral

1821
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘The West End of Milan Cathedral from the Piazza del Duomo’ 1819

Joseph Mallord William Turner The West End of Milan Cathedral from the Piazza del Duomo

1819
On display at Tate Britain part of Turner Collection