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

These loose and quick sketches depict the Moselle Valley running between the Marienburg monastery at Zell and the ruined fortress of Montroyal at Traben-Trarbach. All have been executed with the sketchbook orientated upside down and two compositions have been squared off. From the lower register to upper: a river scene with small boat and choppy waters; a valley landscape (squared off); the church at Reil (the Reilkirch) on the opposite bank (part of this composition is squared off); sketches of Reil (annotated ‘Riol’ three times); and finally, a sailing boat in the Moselle Valley. Sketches from the opposite folio (Tate D28387; Turner Bequest CCXC 19) are continued onto this sheet; for example the village of Burg whose chapel is depicted at the far left of the present folio near the gutter.