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

Inverted in relation to the sketchbook as foliated, the two sketches that occupy the top and bottom half of this page record two distinct coastal views. The harbour town seen in the drawing at the top of the page is Southampton, identifiable by two church spires of St Michael and St Mary, here reflected in the harbour waters. At the centre of the page’s left-hand edge is the continuation of another view of Southampton on folio 46 recto opposite (D23605; Turner Bequest CCLII 46). As outlined under the entry for folio 11 recto (D23541; Turner Bequest CCLII 11), the town recurs at different points throughout the volume. Southampton offered a regular steam packet service to the Channel Islands, ¹ whose towns and coastal regions are the subject of extensive study in this sketchbook. The bottom sketch depicts a wide expanse of water framed by trees towards the right-hand side. The scene is littered with multiple notes, especially on colour; the legible notes read ‘sky’, ‘yellow’, and ‘Grey’.