Introduction: Finden’s Landscape Illustrations to the Life and Works of Lord Byron, 1832-34

In 1831 and 1832 Turner made nine watercolours to be engraved for ‘Finden’s Landscape Illustrations to Mr Murray’s First Complete and Uniform Edition of The Life and Works of Lord Byron.’  The first part was issued alongside the first of Murray’s Life and Work in January 1832, and continued more-or-less monthly through twenty four parts … Continue reading Introduction: Finden’s Landscape Illustrations to the Life and Works of Lord Byron, 1832-34 →

The Drachenfels on the Rhine, Germany [Drachenfells], c.1832

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 →

Introduction: Illustrations for John Murray’s Life and Works of Lord Byron, 17 vols, 1832-33

Introduction A series of seventeen vignette watercolours made c.1831-33 for John Murray's edition of 'The Life and Works of Lord Byron'. The editions was conceived following Murray's publication in 1830 of the Letters and Journals of Lord Byron with Notices of his Life by Thomas Moore. Shortly afterwards he determined on publishing a popular edition … Continue reading Introduction: Illustrations for John Murray’s Life and Works of Lord Byron, 17 vols, 1832-33 →

Bacharach on the Rhine, looking upstream, sunset, 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 →

Rediscovering Kilnsey

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 →

Colour beginning: Kilnsey Crag and Conistone Bridge, Upper Wharfedale Yorkshire. Called ‘A Bridge in Mist’; ‘White Bridge’, c.1825

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 →

Introduction: The Poetical works of Sir Walter Scott

In 1831-32 Turner made a series of twenty-four watercolours for the Edinburgh publisher Robert Cadell. These were to serve as frontispieces and title-page vignettes for a new twelve-volume edition of the poetry of Sir Walter Scott. This was designed to continue and be uniform with, the 12mo popular edition of Scott’s complete works that Cadell … Continue reading Introduction: The Poetical works of Sir Walter Scott →

Introduction: The Prose works of Sir Walter Scott

In 1833 and 1834 Turner made a series of forty watercolours for the Edinburgh publisher Robert Cadell, to serve as frontispieces and title-page vignettes for a twenty-eight volume series of Scott’s Miscellaneous prose. This was designed to be complete and be uniform with, the 12mo popular edition of Scott’s complete works that Cadell had begun … Continue reading Introduction: The Prose works of Sir Walter Scott →

Abbeville: St Vulfran from the Market Square, c.1834

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 →

Smailholm Tower, Roxburghshire [Smailholme, Smallholm], c.1832

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 →