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

As recognised by German art historian Agnes von der Borch,1 the main horizontal subject here centres on the medieval Balduinbrücke bridge over the River Mosel, seen to the west from the confluence with the Rhine; central Coblenz (Koblenz) is on the left, with slight indications of church spires. Turner counted ‘11’ arches, but only eight survive, those at the north end having been replaced by a single modern span; the characteristic off-centre tower has also gone, while the extended Deutsches Eck headland now protrudes from the left foreground. Directly behind the viewpoint, the imposing Ehrenbreitstein fortress rises from the east bank of the Rhine, and here as on other occasions (including the outward leg of this tour) it attracted more of Turner’s attention; see under folio 25 recto (D32590; CCCXXII 26).

As set out in its Introduction, this sketchbook covers Turner’s homeward route from Augsburg north-westwards to Rotterdam (see under folios 1 verso and 14 recto respectively; D32543, D32568; CCCXXII 2a, 15). Travelling back down the familiar Rhine, he worked in somewhat randomly from both ends, interspersing identifiable subjects with less distinctive renderings of towns, castles and the landscape.

The artist drew extensively around the city’s waterfront and the Mosel bridge as he passed on various journeys. See the 1817 Waterloo and Rhine and Rhine sketchbooks (Tate D12780, D12807, D12852; Turner Bequest CLX 41a, 55, 77a; D12893; CLXI 6a), the 1824 Rivers Meuse and Moselle book (D19822–D19823, D19825, D19837; CCXVI 136, 136a, 137a, 143a), the 1839 Trèves to Cochem and Coblenz to Mayence sketchbook (D28355, D28529, D28534; CCXC 3, 87a, 90), the same year’s Cochem to Coblenz – Home book (D28609; D28613; CCXCI 37a, 39a), the 1841 Berne, Heidelberg and Rhine book (D32997; CCCXXVI 60a), and 1844’s Ostend, Rhine and Berne (D33049; CCCXXVII 7); compare in particular D28355, D28529, D28609 and D33049. There are also relevant undated pencil sketches on separate sheets (Tate D34343, D34348, D34878; Turner Bequest CCCXLIV 2, 7, 386).

In 1842 the artist made a finished watercolour, Coblenz (Cincinnati Art Museum),2 showing the bridge from the west, with Ehrenbreitstein in the background. The ‘sample study’ for it is Tate D36139 (Turner Bequest CCCLXIV 286), and there are variant colour studies (D36165, D36194; CCCLXIV 308, 336; and Yale Center for British Art, New Haven3).

At right-angles at the bottom left and centre of the present page are two brief continuations of subsequent Dutch river scenes from folio 23 recto opposite (D32586; CCCXXII 24).