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

This is one of numerous pages in this sketchbook relating to Turner’s self-designed Twickenham house, Sandycombe Lodge (see the Introduction to the sketchbook, where their general dating to circa 1809–11 is discussed; the ‘1812’ inscriptions noted below have necessitated a slight adjustment in this case). The plan shows the broad, shallow ‘Type B’ type categorised by Patrick Youngblood (as discussed in the Introduction to the Sandycombe section); related designs are in the Windmill and Lock sketchbook (Tate D08069, D08077; Turner Bequest CXIV 79a, 83a).1

There are extensive ink inscriptions by Turner in a small, careful hand around the top, bottom and right-hand edges, as well as measurements inscribed on the central diagram; because of all these annotated figures, Eric Shanes has called this page the ‘Estimates’ sheet for the Sandycombe project.2 At the top left is the following: ‘36 Feet. 11 feet high cost £21’; and a little below this: ‘11 Doors | 7 Windows’. A rougher, pencil note appears below these, recording two £10 banknote numbers:

Shanes proposes that in the context of the other figures on this page, these represent two payments made shortly prior to building work, for a plan and a detailed estimate, with the other figures on the sheet relating to the latter.4

Towards the top right is the following:

The total of ‘320’ has possibly been corrected to ‘330’. James Hamilton describes these as ‘neat estimates, showing how Turner hoped the costs would fall out’.6

Below the top right comes another calculation:

There appears to be a small figure crossed out above the total, which is itself not absolutely clear. As noted in the Introduction to the Sandycombe section, Patrick Youngblood suggests ‘400 Purchase’ as the price paid by Turner in 1807 for the plot at Twickenham.8

Towards the bottom right comes:

There are various calculations at the bottom left:

Finally, there is a further cluster of calculations towards the bottom right, including two attempts to multiply 15 by 16 and an attempt at 75 times 16 abandoned half-way through:

There are also measurements on the floor plan: ‘8’ twice, and ‘15’ three times.

Technical notes:

This page is a face of one of the loose bifolio sheets which form the majority of the so-called Sandycombe and Yorkshire sketchbook, along with a few single leaves. The sheets were not bound, but folded inside each other in a sequence which is not entirely recoverable (see the sketchbook’s Introduction for a suggested order). When unfolded, this page is continuous with the verso of D08999 (CXXVII 24); the measurements given above are for the present work alone.

There is offsetting from Ruskin’s red ink ‘2’ inscribed in the corresponding position on D08966 (CXXVII 2), and also from his ‘4’ on D08968 (CXXVII 4) which has bled through to the present page.

Verso:

Blank, with extensive show-through from the recto.