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

There are four miscellaneous subjects here, drawn with the page turned horizontally both ways up. The view across the centre is southwards across the River Danube to Passau’s Altstadt peninsula from the slopes west of the Oberhaus fortress, looking upstream to the old Maxbücke (since replaced by the Schanzlbrücke further on) with the former Palkerstein-Turm just beyond it; see under Tate D30044 (Turner Bequest CCXCIX 22a) in the contemporary Trieste, Graz and Danube sketchbook. The spire of St Matthew’s Church rises to the left of the centre, below the winding Inn Valley in the distance; the river approaches along the far side of the Altstadt. High on the left the tower of St Paul’s Church is outlined; it is seen again in more detail on the right of folio 68 verso (D31441), a continuation of the present view down the Danube to the left, past the cathedral towards the confluence with the Inn off the end of the Altstadt. Albeit disjointed, this panoramic view complements another from a little further east in the larger contemporary Passau and Burg Hals sketchbook (Tate D33674–D33675; Turner Bequest CCCXL 9–10). For other views of Passau, see under folio 48 verso (D31371).

The other way up at the bottom left, there is a brief architectural study of a section of Doric entablature, with vertical strokes indicating triglyphs over and between columns. As Cecilia Powell has suggested, this was likely noted among other details on adjacent pages from the temple-like Walhalla1 then nearing completion at Donaustauf, above the Danube at Donaustauf near Regensburg, later on Turner’s itinerary; compare the more detailed elevation on folio 70 verso (D31415), and see under folio 33 verso (D31341) for other views and studies.2

Also inverted relative to the Passau view, at the outer edge is a view south to the Veste Coburg fortress, again as identified by Powell,3 on its hill east of Coburg, with the domed tower at its eastern end on the right; for other views of the castle and Coburg, see under folio 1 verso (D31278).4

Lastly, there are slight figure studies at the bottom right, apparently of local women and perhaps children; see also folios 69 recto, 70 recto and verso, and the insides of the front and back covers (D31412, D31414–D31415, D41400–D41401).