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

The inscription appears to be ‘Newton’ rather than Finberg’s ‘Linton’ (a place name not listed in standard gazetteers), referring to Newton Abbot, about eight miles north-west of Torbay. Turner’s previous drawings show Ringmore, not far from Newton Abbot (folios 35 verso and 36 verso–37 recto; D08850–D08852), and his next Totnes (folios 39 recto and 40 recto; D08854, D08855), west of Torbay.

The headlands to the left and right are Hope’s Nose, beyond Torquay, and Berry Head (see the Devonshire Coast, No.1 sketchbook: Tate D08557; Turner Bequest CXXIII 99a), seen diagonally across the bay to the south-east beyond Brixham (see folio 48 recto; D08863). The viewpoint is aligned west of the northern end of Torbay and appears to be Beacon Hill, the highest point in the district, between Marldon and Berry Pomeroy (see Tate D08628; Turner Bequest CXXIII 138 and subsequent sketches).

There is another distant view of Torbay in the later Devon Rivers, No.2 sketchbook (Tate D09729; Turner Bequest CXXXIII 49a).

Technical notes:

A strip along the bottom edge, at a slight angle from the bottom left corner, is darkened as though the preceding pages had been pushed upwards for a time, exposing it.

Verso:

Blank, save for inscription by John Ruskin in red ink ‘11’ bottom left, upside down. There is some brown spotting and a small repaired tear.