Joseph Mallord William Turner, R.A.

Possibly Charles Heath;
Benjamin Godfrey Windus, by 1835;
John Ruskin, by 1862;
with Agnew’s, London, by 1865;
by whom sold to G. Suthers, 17 November 1865;
Mclean;
with Agnew’s, London;
by whom sold to W.J. Holdsworth, 22 February 1868;
Pender, by 1887;
possibly with The Fine Art Society, London;
with Agnew’s, London, by 1902;
by whom sold to Charles Fairfax Murray, 5 February 1903;
by descent to the present owners

Engraved:

by William Miller (1796-1882) for The Keepsake, 1834 (R. 331)

Manchester, City Art Gallery, 1904, no. 155;
London, Tate Britain, and Paris, Pavillon des Arts, Turner on the Seine, 1999-2000, no. 50

Atlas, 10 November 1833, p. 725;
C. Heath, The Keepsake, London 1834;
L. Ritchie, Wanderings by the Seine, from Rouen to the Source, with Twenty Engravings from Drawings by J.M.W. Turner Esq., London, Paris and Berlin 1835;
Ed. E.T Cook and A. Wedderburn, The Works of John Ruskin, vol. III, London 1903-12, pp. 237-9;
A. Wilton, The Life and Work of J.M.W. Turner, Fribourg 1979, p. 424, no. 1049;
S. Whittingham, ‘What You Will; or some notes regarding the influence of Watteau on Turner and other British Artists,’ Turner Studies, vol. V, no. 1, Summer 1985, pp. 2-24; and part 2, vol. v, no. 2, Winter 1985, pp. 28-48;
S. Whittingham, ‘Picture Note: Palace de la Belle Gabrielle, on the Seine (at Bougival)’ Turner Studies, vol. VII, no. 1, Summer 1987, pp. 61-3;
I. Warrell, Turner on the Seine, London 1999, pp. 65-6 & pp. 215-217, fig. 212

We are grateful to Jane McAusland for providing this condition report. Support Turner has used a sheet of Whatman type paper to support this watercolour. At present it is laid onto a thin board which is in turn laid onto another board. Both edges have additional strips on the upper board on the left-hand side being approximately 1mm and on the right 2mm wide (this may have been done by a framer at some point). The condition of the sheet is very good with only very slight time staining and no apparent tears or losses. Medium The medium is good, but is a little faded as, in my opinion, the contrasts have changed with fading of the more delicate tints of gamboge and indigo, which would have made the trees a little greener, this is most noticeable in the trees in the upper right quadrant. 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."

This superb watercolour depicts a highly poetic vision of the river Seine, between Bougival and Marly-sur-Seine. Situated about ten miles from central Paris, this section of the river is rich in historical associations. Turner was clearly aware of these, as he chose to construct the theme of this work around a romantic story linked to the Chateau de la Chaussée, which he included in the far distance. The castle was famous for being the former home of Gabrielle d’Estrées (1573-1599), the glamorous mistress of King Henry IV of France (1553-1610) and Turner evokes le grand époch by filling his composition with a plethora of elegant courtly figures. Dressed in Renaissance costume, some people walk arm in arm along the river bank, others quietly talk under the shady trees, while still more have stopped to gaze at a couple who sit prominently in the foreground. This pair, clearly the King and Gabrielle, seem blissfully unaware of the crowds and only have eyes for each other.

This tranquil image demonstrates not only the influence of Claude Lorrain and Watteau, but also that of Bonington. Further to this, it can be seen as a precursor to the Impressionist movement, where artists once again adopted the theme of informal revelries around the periphery of Paris.

The work also affords the viewer a glimpse of Turner’s supreme technical ability and his sense of colour. With great confidence, he has constructed a landscape through the subtle application of watercolour washes and pencil. Details emerge through tiny brush strokes, which combine seamlessly with his energetic use of scratching and stopping out. Turner lends the work a greater sense of weight through his use, in parts, of thick gouache, while his palette of yellows, ochres, vermilions and blues only serves to heighten the sense of ethereal beauty. 

This harmonious work is datable circa 1830 and was engraved by William Miller in 1834 for Charles Heath’s publication The Keepsake. This pocket-sized book was published annually and Turner contributed to it regularly between 1826 and 1837. Seine river-scenes featured on several occasions. The 1832 edition, for example, included his views of St. Germain-en-Laye and Marly-sur-Seine, while in 1834 his view of Le Havre was used. The original watercolours for these engravings are now in the Louvre, the British Museum and the Dundee Art Gallery respectively.

After the Thames and perhaps the Rhine, the Seine was the river with which Turner was most familiar.  Between 1802 and 1832 he explored its banks on at least seven separate occasions. Ian Warrell has suggested the present watercolour stemmed from Turner’s 1829 sketching tour.  Indeed, in the Turner Bequest at London’s Tate Britain, there is a pen and ink drawing, thought to date from that journey, which shows the same view populated by a large crowd of people.¹ In addition to this, two of Turner’s ‘colour beginnings’ for the composition have also survived in the Turner Bequest.²

Several distinguished people have owned this watercolour, including the celebrated collector Benjamin Godfrey Windus, the art critic John Ruskin and the later Victorian artist Charles Fairfax Murray.  Although Palace of La Belle Gabrielle was last exhibited in public in 1999, at the Pavillon des Arts in Paris, this is the first time since 1903 that the work has been offered for sale on the open market.

1. Turner Bequest CCLX 51
2. Turner Bequest CCLXIII 47 & CCCLXV 38