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

David Wallace-Hadrill and Janet Carolan have suggested that the three sketches on this page may depict a view west along Loch Ard towards Ben Lomond, a subject that Turner made a number of sketches of in this book;1 see folio 3 verso (D26677; CCLXXII 6). The distinctive outline of Ben Lomond, however, is not present in any of these sketches, and the hills in the bottom sketch in particular have quite the wrong shape for those surrounding Loch Ard.

A more likely suggestion, therefore, is Loch Katrine, which Turner drew on folio 16 verso (D26714; CCLXXII 26). The mountain peak at the centre of the top sketch has the distinctive shape of Ben A’an as seen from the west, making a view from Stronachlachar likely. The sketch beneath may also depict Ben A’an, while the third sketch down includes more of the mountains to the north of the loch, with Ben A’an at the western end of the loch to the right. At the bottom of the page, drawn with the book turned to the right, is the slight continuation of a sketch from folio 39 verso (D26679; CCLXXII 7).

For a full list of Turner’s sketches in the Trossachs, see the Loch Ard sketchbook Introduction.