Joseph Mallord William Turner R.A.

John Ruskin;
A. J. Finberg;
The Fine Art Society, as a View of Angers;
Dr. Charles Warren;
Agnew's, London

Cotswold Gallery, 1931, no. 6;
Cotswold Gallery, 1932, no. 95;
London, Royal Academy, Turner Bicentenary Exhibition, 1974-1975, no. 150 (as a View of Angers);
London, Tate Gallery, Turner on the Seine, June-October 1999, no. 37 (illustrated fig. 189, p. 204)

N. J. Alfrey, Turner and the French Rivers, unpublished M.A. report, University of London, 1977, p. 20;
Ian Warrell, Turner on the Loire, 1997, p. 209, no. 118;
Ian Warrell, Turner on the Seine, 1999, p. 189, fig. 204

Vernon lies on the River Seine, halfway between Rouen and Paris. This drawing shows the village from the suburb of Vernonnet. The most important buildings of Vernon can be seen. The tallest structure is the church of Notre-Dame, while to its right, close to the end of the bridge, is the Tour des Archives. It is even possible to observe the wheels of the water-mill, which are suspended from the main structure of the wooden bridge.

This pen and ink study, which Ian Warrell dates to between 1827 and 1829, is a preparatory sketch connected to Turner's celebrated group of works which were engraved for the publication: Turner's Annual Tours: Wandering by the Seine (published in 1833, 1834 and 1835). The first volume of this book was dedicated to views of the River Loire, while the second and third volumes focused on the River Seine. The volumes were published by Charles Heath and while Leitch Ritchie provided the text, Turner's engraved watercolours acted as the illustrations.

Two further works depicting Vernon exist. One is a pen and ink drawing entitled The Bridge at Vernon from the west (TB CCLX 24). This work is stylistically similar to the present lot and also dates from circa 1827-29. The second is a fully worked up watercolour entitled Vernon, which dates from circa 1833. It was this image that was chosen to be engraved for Turner's Annual Tours (TB CCLIX 129).