Joseph Mallord William Turner, R.A.

John Ruskin (1819-1900);
L.B. Mozley;
his sale, London, Christie's, 27 May 1865, lot 182;
J. Leigh Clare;
his sale, London, Christie's, 28 March 1868, lot 101 (bt. Cox);
W.G. Raphael;
by family descent until;
sale, New York, Sotheby's, 27 January 2010, lot 99;
European Private Collection

Engraved:

by S. Fisher, 1835, for W.E. Finden's Illustrations of the Bible, 1835-36 (R. 595)

Sir W. Armstrong, Turner, London 1902, p. 273;
W.G. Rawlinson, The Engraved Works of J.M.W. Turner, London 1908-13, vol. II, p. 311, no. 595;
A. Wilton, The Life and Work of J.M.W. Turner, Fribourg 1979, p. 450, cat. no. 1259
M. Omar, Turner and The Bible, Oxford 1981, p. 40, cat. no. 24 (engraving illustrated);
M. Omar, J.M.W. Turner and the romantic vision of the Holy Land and the Bible, London 1996, p. 124 (engraving illustrated)

We are thankful to Jane McAusland for providing the following condition report. Support Turner has used a small sheet of fairly thick, wove-type paper to support this watercolour. The sheet is a little time stained and shows some light foxing in the sky. An old mount has very slightly stained the edges. Medium The medium on the whole is fresh and bright, though typically there may be a little loss in the more delicate tints. Note: This work was viewed outside studio conditions.
"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."

In this wonderfully atmospheric watercolour, through a combination of light, colour and fine detail, Turner seems to have bought the port of Rhodes to life.

Turner's view shows the ancient walled city bathed in strong sunlight. In the foreground, three women in Greek dress congregate around a large well, the water for which appears to be pumped by the figure on the extreme left of the composition. One of the women reclines lazily upon the flagstones, resting her arm on a water jug. To her right a man, perhaps on his way to a market, can be seen surrounded by a large number of jugs and vases. Behind these figures, Turner leads the eye down the hill to the walls, towers and harbour of the city. The tall tower at the left-hand side of the harbour's entrance occupies the place where one of the seven wonders of the world, the Colossus of the Sun, once stood. Beyond the sea, which is dotted with tiny sailing boats, lies the coast of Asia Minor and the mountains of Caramania.

This watercolour is one of twenty-six works that Turner drew between 1833 and 1836 for Finden's Illustrations of the Bible. On studying these watercolours, John Ruskin described them as 'quite unrivalled examples of his richest executive power on a small scale'.¹  W.G. Rawlinson, in his book on Turner's engraved work, described them as 'strikingly poetical'.²

The Finden brothers employed two other artists to create designs for this publication; Clarkson Frederick Stanfield, R.A. and Sir Augustus Wall Callcott, R.A. Like Turner, they had never travelled to the Holy Land or the eastern Mediterranean. As a result the three professional artists relied on sketches made mainly by amateur artists to provide the basis of their work. The present watercolour was based upon a drawing by Sir Charles Barry (1795-1860) who had conducted an extensive Grand Tour to the Near East between 1817 and 1820.

Despite relying on another artist's sketches in order to carry out this commission, John Ruskin was adamant that Turner produced works that were far more than mere copies. He wrote: 'of one thing I am certain, Turner never drew anything that could be seen, without having seen it. That is to say that though he would draw Jerusalem from someone else's sketch, it would be nevertheless, entirely his own experience of ruined walls'.³

1. E.T. Cook and A. Wedderburn, Ed., The Works of John Ruskin, London 1903-1912, XIII, p. 447
2. W.G. Rawlinson, The Engraved Work of J.M.W. Turner, London 1908-13, vol. 1, pl. VIII
3. E.T. Cook and A. Wedderburn, Ed., op. cit., London 1903-1912,  XII, p. 42