Joseph Mallord William Turner

Two Fishing Boats Seen from the Stern; Four Men in the Boat at Left

1802

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In Tate Britain

Prints and Drawings Room

View by appointment

Artist: Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Part of: Small Calais Pier Sketchbook
Medium: Graphite on paper
Dimensions: Support: 112 × 187 mm
Collection: Tate
Acquisition: Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
Reference: D04192
Turner Bequest LXXI 1

Catalogue entry

Finberg recorded an inscription in white chalk, ‘Back’, which is no longer visible, presumably due to the rebinding of the book. This group of boats and figures was a possible source for the composition of Fishing Boats Entering Calais Harbour probably painted in 1803 (Frick Collection, New York),1 although Turner gave the boats in the picture a sharper list. Professor Bachrach has noted Turner’s likely use of this sketchbook for this picture without citing specific sketches.2 Perhaps also related to the oil are drawings in the Studies for Pictures sketchbook (Tate D04110, D04120; Turner Bequest LXIX 96, 105).

Martin Butlin and Evelyn Joll, The Paintings of J.M.W. Turner, revised ed., New Haven and London 1984, p.108 no.142 (pl.147).

A.G.H. Bachrach, Turner’s Holland, exhibition catalogue, Tate Gallery, London 1994, p.32.

Verso:

Blank

David Blayney Brown
April 2003

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