Joseph Mallord William Turner

The rough nature of these two on-the-spot sketches makes their subject difficult to identify. However, Turner’s inscriptions suggest that they may represent views of the Ausoni mountains seen from Fondi, a town on the Via Appia between Terracina and Formia. The towered structure visible in the lower vista may represent the medieval castle (Castello Baronale), a rectangular structure with distinctive cylindrical towers of varying height. For other sketches see folio 24 (D15954; Turner Bequest CLXXXVI 23), the Vatican Fragments sketchbook (Tate D15160; Turner Bequest CLXXX 28a) and the Gandolfo to Naples sketchbook (Tate D15598 and D15602; Turner Bequest CLXXXIV 21a and 23a).