William Turner of Oxford, O.W.S.

The Maas Gallery, London, March 2007

This watercolour has been generally well preserved and very carefully presented. Overall the pigments have remained unaffected by time, although some of the more delicate colours have changed a little. There is a long, thin rubbed line in the sky, however this is hardly visible, and can only be seen in a raking light. The sheet has been laid (probably by the artist) onto a wash-line mount. For further information on this lot please contact Mark Griffith-Jones at mark.griffithjones@sothebys.com or 02078 293 5083.
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NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

William Turner’s attachment to Oxford did not mean that he remained there all his life. In fact he was an avid traveller, who organised a vigorous programme of summer sketching tours. Throughout his career he journeyed through many of the great picturesque sites of Britain, visiting regions as diverse as the Lake District, Wales, Cornwall and Scotland.

The present watercolour shows the road leading to the ancient village of Broadway, nestled in the heart of the Worcestershire countryside. The landscape is seen under the heat of the mid-day sun. A mounted traveller carries out a conversation with a local, while her young family pick red and white flowers from the roadside. In the distance a Norman tower, probably St Michael & All Angels Church, can be seen. Turner was evidently interested in this area of the Cotswolds as another watercolour of this subject, taken from a slightly different perspective, survives in the Leeds Museum and Art Gallery.