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

This colour study shows the Crook of Lune, a distinctive bend in the River Lune about three miles from Lancaster. It relates to the finished watercolour Crook of Lune (Courtauld Gallery, London1), which was engraved for Whitaker’s History of Richmondshire by John Wykeham Archer (1808–1864) and published in 1821 (Tate impressions: T04471, T04472, T06049). The colour study sees Turner loosely note the main contours of the distinctive landscape, with its twisting river and rolling hills, in a watercolour palette dominated by blue and yellow. The composition is based on a pencil study made during Turner’s 1816 tour (see Tate D11499; Turner Bequest CXLVII 35a–36). For related pencil studies in the Yorkshire 2 sketchbook, see Tate D11146–D11147; Turner Bequest CXLV 71a–72).

See also the introduction to the Richmondshire ‘colour beginnings’ grouping to which this study has been assigned.

Technical notes:

There is a vertical fold at the centre of the sheet. There is a horizontal fold line above the horizon.

Verso:

Blank