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Lot Essay
In 1811, Turner began work on an ambitious project to produce a series of views commissioned by William Bernard Cooke for publication as Picturesque Views of the Southern Coast of England. Thirty-nine plates were published between 1814 and 1826. The majority of the plates were engraved by William Bernard and George Cooke. It was initially intended that the Southern Coast views would be the first in a series of publications of the entire coast of England, but this scheme was never realised and only the Southern Coast was completed.
The present watercolour was not engraved, but probably belongs to the first group made with Southern Coast in mind. Another Dorset subject Weymouth (A. Wilton The Life and Works of J.M.W. Turner 1979, no. 448) (Yale Center for British Art), which was included in the publication, is perhaps the closest to the present work in style and palette and is dated to circa 1811.
Turner undertook various tours around the southern coast to gather suitable material for the scheme including in 1811 to Dorset, Devon and Cornwall and in 1813 to Devon again.
We are grateful to Andrew Wilton for his help in preparing this catalogue entry.
The present watercolour was not engraved, but probably belongs to the first group made with Southern Coast in mind. Another Dorset subject Weymouth (A. Wilton The Life and Works of J.M.W. Turner 1979, no. 448) (Yale Center for British Art), which was included in the publication, is perhaps the closest to the present work in style and palette and is dated to circa 1811.
Turner undertook various tours around the southern coast to gather suitable material for the scheme including in 1811 to Dorset, Devon and Cornwall and in 1813 to Devon again.
We are grateful to Andrew Wilton for his help in preparing this catalogue entry.