Explorations in the footsteps of Turner, Cotman, Ruskin and others with Professor David Hill
Following the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, the continent of Europe gradually opened up to British Travellers. Apart from the brief peace of Amiens in 1802 it had been closed by the Napoleonic Wars during Turner’s entire career. He would have liked to go to Italy, but was prevented from going abroad at all in … Continue reading 1817 Tour to Belgium, Rhine and the Netherlands: Introduction
Introduction This series of fifty-one watercolours depicts subjects on the river Rhine between Cologne and Mainz. The traditional story of their origin was related by Walter Thornbury in his Life of J.M.W.Turner published in 1862: Walter Thornbury, Life of J.M.W.Turner R.A,, 1862 vol.2, p.86 They remained together at Farnley until 27 June 1890 when thirty-five … Continue reading Rhine Series: an introduction
Watercolour on pale grey flecked laid wrapping paper, probably Dutch, 8 1/4 x 11 3/8 ins, 209 x 290 mm. London, Courtauld Institute of Art. D1967.WS.94 Turner catalogues: Wilton 667; tdb0799 This is a medium-sized watercolour, of a landscape scene, looking along a river to blue hills, with a rock escarpment to the left impending … Continue reading The Drachenfels on the Rhine, with the Rolandsberg and Nonnenwerth, 1817
Watercolour on white wove paper prepared with a wash of grey, 7 3/4 x 12 1/8 ins, 195 x 303 mm. Private Collection Turner catalogues: Wilton 666; tdb798 This is a medium-sized watercolour of a landscape scene, looking along a river flowing between castellated hills. In the centre is a promontory or island with a … Continue reading Rolandswerth, Nunnery and Drachenfels, on the river Rhine, Germany, 1817
Watercolour, 5 x 8 ins,, 128 x 204 mm Manchester City Art Gallery (1917.113) Turner catalogues: Wilton 1216; tdb1333 This is a small, highly-finished and richly-coloured watercolour showing the view along a river to a hill surmounted by a castle with a castle-topped promontory to the left. A road runs along the riverside at the … Continue reading The Drachenfels on the Rhine, Germany [Drachenfells], c.1832
Watercolour vignette on paper, sheet size 9 x 10 7/8 ins, 229 x 276 mm USA, New York, Vassar College Art Gallery, Poughkeepsie. (864.1.217) Turner catalogues: Wilton1222; tdb1339 Vassar College, USA: http://emuseum.vassar.edu/internal/media/dispatcher/9947/resize:format=full This is a small, highly-finished watercolour vignette of boats moored by a town bristling with spires and towers. In the centre is a … Continue reading Bacharach on the Rhine, looking upstream, sunset, c.1832
Readers might have wondered at the recent inactivity of Sublimesites.co. Old friends will know such lapses are not infrequent. But I have not been idle. In fact I have been rummaging in a box of transparencies dating back to 1983, and encountering my former self. The occasion of all this was a Turner watercolour that … Continue reading Rediscovering Kilnsey
Watercolour, 11 3/4 x 18 1/2 ins Private Collection Turner catalogues: not in Wilton; tdb1901 This is a good-sized watercolour study of a light-suffused river valley landscape. A long, many-arched bridge stretches across the composition in the mid-distance whilst a shallow river flows away in the lower right corner. Blue hills close the distance. Bridge … Continue reading Colour beginning: Kilnsey Crag and Conistone Bridge, Upper Wharfedale Yorkshire. Called ‘A Bridge in Mist’; ‘White Bridge’, c.1825
Watercolour vignette, 135 x 105 mm Private Collection Notes: This is a small, highly-wrought studio watercolour vignette, of a busy street scene with a cathedral in the background bathed in light, whilst a stage coach stops in the centre of a street amidst a throng of figures. DH scan from Sotheby's 1983 This is the … Continue reading Abbeville: St Vulfran from the Market Square, c.1834
Watercolour vignette on paper, image 5 1/4 x 4 ins, in border 7 x 4 5/8 ins on sheet 8 3/4 x 7 1/2 ins, 223 x 191 mm Inscribed by Turner in watercolour, above subject; 'Border Minstrelsey/ Vol, ' and below; 'Smailholme Tower' Private Collection Turner catalogues: Wilton 1071; tdb1192 Scanned by DH from … Continue reading Smailholm Tower, Roxburghshire [Smailholme, Smallholm], c.1832
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