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

This sketch is very similar to the drawing on folio 47 (D26528) that formed the basis of Turner’s watercolour Loch Katrine circa 1832 (British Museum),1 engraved to illustrate volume 8 of Sir Walter Scott’s Poetical Works, The Lady of the Lake in 1834. (See folio 47 for further references). As David Wallace-Hadrill and Janet Carolan have pointed out, the view is from above the Silver Strand beach (now submerged as the water level of Loch Katrine was raised to make a reservoir for Glasgow) on the northern shore of Loch Katrine at the east end. The beach, which runs along a bay, is shown from the lower slopes of Ben A’an above. Across the loch is Ellen’s Island (Eilean Molach) and beyond that Ben Venue.

Turner made a number of sketches of the view from around this point; see folio 47 for references and further details.