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

There is a sequence of views around Castel Firmiano (Schloss Sigmundskron, now a museum) on its crag overlooking the Adige (Etsch) Valley south-east of Bolzano (Bozen) on folios 43 verso–46 verso and the recto of this leaf (D31682–D31689). The pages from here up to folio 50 recto (D31690–D31695) are largely devoted to multiple interrelated subjects in the nearby valley of the Torrente Talvera (Talferbach), which Turner would revisit in 1840, immediately north-west of the city; for other views in the vicinity and Bolzano’s place within this sketchbook’s itinerary, see under folio 1 verso (D31598).

There are four main views here, drawn with the page turned vertically both ways. At the top, the first shows a prospect from the valley of the Adige north-west of Castel Firmiano, looking north-east to Bolzano up the broad Isarco (Eisack) Valley. There is a brief continuation on folio 48 recto opposite (D31691), beside an annotated reprise of the view on a smaller scale. Compare the view on folio 2 recto (D31599), continued on D31598 to show the castle towards the foreground.

The second drawing is from the Isarco valley east of Castel Firmiano, ranging south-west here and north-west on the opposite page, where the scene is continued to include the castle; compare the views on D31689. At the gutter below the present half is a slight continuation from another view from the Adige past the castle to Bolzano, both of which are shown in the main section opposite.

Below, the other way up, is a view down the Talvera past Castel Mareccio (Schloss Maretsch) to the spire of Bolzano Cathedral and the Dolomites beyond; compare an 1840 watercolour study on grey paper (Tate D36155; Turner Bequest CCCLXIV 298), from a viewpoint nearer the castle. Trees along the banks now interrupt the sightlines. At the bottom is a study of one of the sprawling farmhouse complexes in the valley such as the Castello di Sant’Antonio (Schloss Klebenstein; see folio 48 verso; D31692), not far north of Castel Mareccio, although this one’s identification has yet to be confirmed.