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

The upper and central sketches depict the Château de Hierges, in the French Ardennes. The castle is inscribed ‘Eages’ and ‘Eauges’ by Turner (see also Tate D28179; Turner Bequest CCLXXXVIII 7). The building was constructed in the Mosan Renaissance style on ninth-century foundations for the seigneurie of Hierges. By the time of Turner’s visit in 1824 the castle was in a ruined state: Revolutionary armies had besieged it in 1792 and a year later it was destroyed by fire, leaving only the protective curtain walls and four blue stone and brick towers partially intact. The lowermost drawing shows the neighbouring villages of Vireux-Molhain at left, with the church of ‘St Martin’, and Vireux-Wallerand at right.