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

The drawing was made with the page turned horizontally. The sketches between here and folio 168 verso (D19161–D19173, except folio 164 verso, D19165, a stray view of Cologne), were made down a mile or so of the River Meuse as it winds north-eastwards along the south end of central Liège; Finberg recognised the subject in general terms.1 The first half of this route was north and east along what are now the southern end of the broad Boulevard d’Avroy and the Boulevard Piercot, by comparison with maps of the time; the river was subsequently drained and rerouted via gentler curves along the Boulevard Frère-Orban.

Here, the view is northwards past boats and figures along a picturesquely varied quay to the Baroque spire and shallow dome of the St-Sacrement (Holy Sacrament) church, with the short spire of St-Jacques (St James’s) to the right, and what is likely the spire of the cathedral aligned to the north-north-east over its roof. The equivalent viewpoint today would be somewhere near the statue of Charlemagne at the north end of the Parc d’Avroy, but buildings and trees obscure the prospect. There is a two-part view from nearby on folio 163 recto opposite (D19162), and one from closer to St-Sacrement on folio 165 recto (D19166).

Compare a more detailed panorama including these and numerous other churches in the contemporary Holland, Meuse and Cologne sketchbook (Tate D19446–D19447; Turner Bequest CCXV 25a–26), and sketches from nearby in 1824’s Rivers Meuse and Moselle book (Tate D19592, D19596, D19598; Turner Bequest CCXVI 21, 23, 24). For other views of Liège in this sketchbook and elsewhere, see under folio 155 verso (D19147).