Ruskin drawings at King’s College, Cambridge: #3 The Dent d’Oche range on the south side of Lac Leman from Vevey, Switzerland

This is the third in a series of seven articles that will catalogue an important group of drawings by John Ruskin at King’s College, Cambridge. For general notes on the collection see under article #1. 3. The Dent d'Oche range on the south side of Lac Leman from Vevey, Switzerland, 1846? Pencil and watercolour, on … Continue reading Ruskin drawings at King’s College, Cambridge: #3 The Dent d’Oche range on the south side of Lac Leman from Vevey, Switzerland →

Ruskin drawings at King’s College, Cambridge: #2 Window in the Ca’ Foscari, Venice

This is the second in a series of seven articles that will catalogue an important group of drawings by John Ruskin at King’s College, Cambridge. For general notes on the collection see under article #1. 2. Window in the Ca’ Foscari, Venice, 1845 Pencil, pen and ink and watercolour on white (or buff) wove paper … Continue reading Ruskin drawings at King’s College, Cambridge: #2 Window in the Ca’ Foscari, Venice →

Ruskin drawings at King’s College, Cambridge: #1 Isolino di San Giovanni from Lago Maggiore, Evening

This is the first of seven articles that will catalogue an important group of drawings by John Ruskin at King’s College, Cambridge (note 1). None of the drawings has been exhibited since 1969, and some have never been reproduced. As a result they are unfamiliar to modern scholarship, let alone the general public. In a … Continue reading Ruskin drawings at King’s College, Cambridge: #1 Isolino di San Giovanni from Lago Maggiore, Evening →

Turner in Switzerland #3: Zurich by Moonlight

Regular readers (!?) may be thinking that this site is becoming overly sublunary. This is the third article to follow Turner’s footsteps into the night. I ought to confess that I do have at least one other article to write on the theme, but that may wait a little. This one, however, follows hard on … Continue reading Turner in Switzerland #3: Zurich by Moonlight →

Turner in Switzerland #2:Lucerne by Moonlight

REVISED VERSION WITH NEW PHOTOS, JUNE 2014 This article seeks to give some consideration to a well-known, but relatively-little-discussed watercolour by Turner, Lucerne by Moonlight at the British Museum, London (note 1). Given that it is widely considered to be one of the most important of a great late series of Swiss subjects from the … Continue reading Turner in Switzerland #2:Lucerne by Moonlight →

Turner in Switzerland #1: The Lungernsee and Brunig Pass

Sotheby’s London sale of Impressionist and Modern Art on 6 February 2014 included as lot 140 a Turner watercolour identified as 'Swiss lake scene, possibly Brienz, c.1848' (1).  This article can now offer an exact identification of the subject as the Lungernsee (2) and also propose a more precise date, relating it to Turner’s last … Continue reading Turner in Switzerland #1: The Lungernsee and Brunig Pass →

Truanting with Turner: Dallam Tower and the Kent Estuary at Milnthorpe, Cumbria

My friends tell me that it’s not real work, not proper research; all this trotting off to places Turner might have been. It’s a bit like Richard Long expecting to make a living out of walking and camping holidays. My unappreciative chums may have a point, but I want to argue here that ‘real’ work … Continue reading Truanting with Turner: Dallam Tower and the Kent Estuary at Milnthorpe, Cumbria →

Moonlight and its implications: Turner at Sisteron

On 5 November 2013 a Turner watercolour of Sisteron sold for $149,000 at Christie’s in New York. It was catalogued as Sisteron from the North-West, with a Low Sun. The viewpoint is perfectly identified and the low sun seems self-evident (follow the link below to Christie’s website for a fully zoomable image), but I want … Continue reading Moonlight and its implications: Turner at Sisteron →