J.M.W. Turner: Sketchbooks, Drawings and Watercolours

Finberg later annotated his 1909 Inventory entry (‘Castle on mountain, with town below’): ‘Sigmundskron Castle (Firmiano)’.1 The Turner scholar C.F. Bell marked another copy: ‘“River in front” Siegmundskron?’.2 The subject is indeed the dramatically situated Castel Firmiano (Schloss Sigmundskron, now a museum), above the River Adige (Etsch) south-west of Bolzano (Bozen). There are numerous drawings in the vicinity on adjacent pages and elsewhere in the sketchbook; for these and further discussion, see under folio 1 verso (D31598).

Here, the north-eastern aspect is shown from the valley. The rugged slopes are now softened by trees. Having recently travelled up the valley from Trento (see under folio 37 recto; D31669), Turner apparently inscribed this page to the effect that the river flows in the direction; compare the clearer wording on folio 46 recto opposite (D31687), and see also folio 47 recto (D31689).