Joseph Mallord William Turner

View Along the East Lothian Coast with Seacliff House

1818

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In Tate Britain

Prints and Drawings Room

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Artist: Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Part of: Scotch Antiquities Sketchbook
Medium: Graphite on paper
Dimensions: Support: 112 × 186 mm
Collection: Tate
Acquisition: Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
Reference: D13596
Turner Bequest CLXVII 7

Catalogue entry

Having sketched Tantallon Castle and Bass Rock from the cliffs to the south-east (folios 5 verso–6; D13593–D13594; CLXVII 5a, 6) Turner turned around 180 degrees to make this view along the East Lothian coast with Seacliff House in the foreground. The house was built in 1750, but altered in 1841 and severely damaged by fire in 1907; these alterations in its appearance are perhaps what lead Finberg to misidentify it as another view of Tantallon Castle.1

Beyond the house we look along the coast where several buildings can be seen in the distance (folio 6 verso; D13595; CLXVII 6a); this is the hamlet of Scoughall. The sketch continues at the right on folio 6 verso where the edge of the cliff, the rocks and sea beneath are visible. There is another view of Seacliff House on folios 9 verso–10 (D13600–D13601; CLXVII 8c, 9), and from beneath on folio 8 (D13597; CLXVII 8).

Finberg 1909, I, p.485, CLXVII 7a.

Verso:

Blank

Thomas Ardill
February 2008

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