Joseph Mallord William Turner, R.A.

Sale, London, Sotheby's, London, 31 March 1999, lot 47

The image is clear and easily readable. The colours of the pigments have softened but the composition remains harmonious. Around the extreme edges of the sheet there is a brown line, this is covered by the present mount and connected with a previous mount. The work is attached to the backing card at various points verso.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
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."

An Italianate capriccio, dating from the mid 1790s, this drawing is likely to be based upon an unrecorded work by John Robert Cozens. Turner was one of several young artists, including Thomas Girtin, who were encouraged to copy Cozens' watercolours by the physician and connoisseur Dr Thomas Monro, at his house in Adelphi Terrace, London. The inspirational atmosphere that Monro created, not only allowed artists to learn from the masters of the previous generation, as he owned a significant collection of works on paper, but it also provided them with a space in which to discuss new ideas. The 1790s, therefore, was a fertile decade for British watercolourist and the lessons learnt then, paved the way for the great advances of the early 19^th Century.