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

As part of unpublished Turner research informed by local knowledge, Dr Bernard Richards has confirmed that the smaller view at the top left, inverted relative to the sketchbook’s foliation, shows Lichfield, Staffordshire, in the distance to the north-west, and the main drawing below shows Tamworth Castle and St Editha’s Church to the east.1 The viewpoint for each is in the vicinity of the village of Hopwas, roughly midway along the seven-mile route between the Lichfield and Tamworth. Turner notes a ‘gravel cart’; the exact viewpoints have yet to be established, but may be on the hill south of the road, where sand and gravel extraction continues today.

For other views of Lichfield and Tamworth see respectively under folio 30 verso (D22378) and folio 32 verso opposite (D22382).

Technical notes:

This leaf is affected by the extensive pale brown, mottled staining which extends throughout this particular gathering (folios 31–42; D22379–D22402) and also folios 30 and 43 recto and verso (D22377, D22378, D22403, D22404), as discussed in the Technical notes to the sketchbook’s Introduction.