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

With the page turned vertically, there are five bands of studies here, showing shipping in Portsmouth Harbour and aspects of its waterfront. At the top appears to be a view south from the dockyard with the tower of Portsmouth Cathedral and the tower at Baltic Wharf. The next two views are south-east towards Gosport, as inscribed on the second of them. The fourth shows the Vulcan Block clock tower, with the cathedral towards the right, and the last, like the first, has the cathedral on the left and the Baltic Wharf tower at the centre.

This is one of a continuous series of views around Portsmouth between folios 1 recto and 20 recto (D17913–D17951); many appear to have been made from a boat; for the overall sequence and details of the most prominent buildings and defences, see the Introduction.