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

Turner rotated the sketchbook horizontally to produce this detailed architectural study of Avignon’s dominant landmark: the Palais des Papes, a gothic palace that served as the papal residence during the fourteenth century. Whereas on folio 40 (D21066–D21067; Turner Bequest CCXXX 39–39a) Turner surveyed the palace from across the river, here he achieved a closer, more elevated perspective by climbing the steps to the public gardens on the Rocher des Doms, a rocky outcrop bordering the Rhône, immediately to the north of the palace. He clearly appreciated the panoramic vistas provided by this location, using it as a base from which to sketch the city and its environs: see folios 41 recto–43 recto (D21068–D21072; Turner Bequest CCXXX 40–42).

To the right of this south-facing view is the Romanesque bell tower of Avignon’s cathedral, the Notre Dame des Doms. Turner recorded the view before the tower was surmounted with a gilded statue of the Virgin Mary in 1859, a feature still intact today. Beyond the cathedral are the crenellated towers of the older section of the Palais des Papes, known as the Tour de la Campane and the Tour de Trouillas.

For a general commentary on Turner’s visit to Avignon and a list of comparable works in the sketchbook, see under folio 40 recto (D21066; Turner Bequest CCXXX 39).