By Kind Permission of Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery
By Kind Permission of Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery
Engraved by Willmore after Turner. ( England and Wales. Rawlinson 284. Wilton 860.) Rawlinson draws attention to Turner's detailed supervision of 'this beautiful plate' as evidenced in the working proofs which have survived.
In a letter from Ruskin to John James Ruskin on 23 January 1852 the watercolour is described as a work which 'I should be sorry to let go, but not vexed about' if it 'came in your way at a reasonable price' ( Works, 13.xlix-l). He never owned it, actually. In PreRaphaelitism (1851) he writes of the 'most perfect peace' of the composition ( Works, 12.376), and refers to it as an example of Turner 's recurrence to an early impression of a place in order to rework it with 'new power' at a later date ( Works, 12.383). In Modern Painters IV (1856) it is referred to in illustration of Ruskin's contention that 'of all foregrounds, one of loose stones is beyond all comparison the most difficult to draw with any approach to realisation' ( Works, 6.374). In The Elements of Drawing (1857), Ruskin recommends careful study of the engraving ( Works, 15.75).
J.M.W. Turner 1775-1851
Ulleswater, Cumberland c.1833
Watercolour, 33x42.6cm
Exhibitions: RA 1974 (428)
Engraving:
Engraved by J.T. Willmore, 1835
Copper engraving, 16.5x24.4cm
Engraved for the England and Wales series
Provenance: H.A.J. Munro of Novar, sale Christie's 6/4/1878 (95), bt Agnew; Agnew 1911; Scott and Fowles; Monnell
Further Comments: This subject is probably based on studies made at Ulleswater in the 'Tweed and Lakes' sketchbook, 1797.
Collection: Brian Pilkington Esq., London