Joseph Mallord William Turner, RA

R. Strauss;

with The Fine Art Society, London;

sale, London, Christie’s, 21 November 2002, lot 41;

sale, London, Sotheby’s, 9 July 2014, lot 157 (£104,500),

where acquired by the present owner 

E. Shanes, Young Mr Turner, The First Forty Years 1775-1815, New Haven 2016, p. 131, fig. 159

In this watercolour, which was probably painted in 1796, Turner focuses on a series of magnificent beech trees that he encountered while visiting Cassiobury Park, near Watford. He had been invited to this great house by George, Viscount Malden who, as heir to the earldom of Essex, was among Turner’s most significant early supporters.

The previous summer, when Turner travelled to Wales, the Viscount had asked him to stop at another of his family’s seats, Hampton Court, near Hereford. That stay had resulted in the commission of five watercolour views of the house and estate (including one of the ‘cascades’ and another of a great oak tree).¹ Although not proven, when Turner arrived at Cassiobury in the summer 1796, he may well have brought with them his 'Hampton Court' watercolours.²

Turner’s connection to trees was always a strong one, but this is particularly true in the 1790s when he seemingly took great pleasure in painting great specimens, not only at Cassiobury, but also at Norbury Park in Surrey and elsewhere.³

The present work is a very fine example of such a subject; the foliage of the trees is rendered with a light and feathery touch, while the underlying draughtsmanship is particularly refined.

For another watercolour relating to Cassiobury, see the following lot.

^1.A. Wilton, The Life and Work of J.M.W. Turner, Fribourg 1979, nos. 182-186

^2.Shanes, op. cit., p. 131

^3.Wilton, op. cit, pp. 316-317, nos. 152, 155-162