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

Turner made numerous studies of the Château de Rochemaure, a ruined eleventh- and twelfth-century castle that appears repeatedly between folios 23 recto and 24 verso (D21034–D21037). Perched high on a rocky summit, it overlooks the village of Rochemaure on the right bank of the Rhône, a location confirmed by the artist’s inscription in the top-right corner.

This page contains two distant views of the castle, recording Turner’s impressions from downstream as he looked north, leaving Rochemaure behind. Holding the sketchbook horizontally for a more panoramic effect, he traced the castle in silhouette amid its topographical surroundings. The upper view is rendered in more detail, and was seemingly sketched at closer range. Citing the present work, Cecilia Powell has commented on Turner’s fondness for castles. See under folio 3 verso (D20995) for a summary of her analysis.

The geographer and Turner researcher Roland Courtot regarded Turner’s sketching practice as analogous to how one would use a camera today, a technique exemplified here.1 Turner’s eye tended to fix on striking landmarks, such as a distant village, a hilltop ruin or an approaching bridge. A recurring feature of the sketchbook, examples of these ‘tracking shots’ can be seen intermittently between folios 5 recto and 33 verso (D20998, D21013, D21029, D21041, D21052–D21053; Turner Bequest CCXXX 32 and 32a).