Boat on a rough sea
Maker
(artist)
1775-1851
1775-1851
Title
Boat on a rough sea
Date of Production
(circa) 1840
Medium
graphite, watercolour, bodycolour on grey (now brown on recto) wove paper
Dimensions
Height: 12.8 cm
Width: 17.8 cm
Width: 17.8 cm
Accession Number
D.1952.RW.4022
Mode of Acquisition
Robert Clermont Witt, bequest, 1952
Credit
The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)
Copyright
Work in the public domain
Location
Not currently on display
Keywords
Label Text
Although the setting of this work is unknown, it shares stylistic similarities with marine watercolour studies that Turner made at Margate around 1840. His first-hand experience of sailing in all weathers is conveyed in the bravura of the drawing, which shows a small boat battling against the elements in a turbulent sea. Touches of red-brown enliven an otherwise muted palette, while spots of water on the sheet – possibly raindrops – suggest that the sketch was begun, if not finished, in the open air.
Notes
The paper was handmade by Bally, Ellen & Steart at de Montalt Mill, near Bath, Somerset (see Paths of Fame exh. cat. no. 27 for more on this paper).
Provenance
Thomas Pegram; his estate sale, Sotheby's (London), 24 November 1948, lot 31; purchased there by Colnaghi (London), on behalf of Sir Robert Witt, London (1872-1952), for £140; Witt Bequest 1952
Exhibition History
Summer Showcase - Unfinished, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 18/06/2015-20/09/2015
Paths to Fame - Turner's Watercolour Landscapes, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 30/10/2008-25/01/2009
Paths to Fame - Turner's Watercolour Landscapes, Wordsworth Trust, Grasmere, England, 16/07/2008-12/10/2008 ...More
J.M.W. Turner, 'That Greatest of Landscape Painters' -
Watercolours from London Museums, Tulsa, USA, 08/02/1998-12/04/1998
Turner, Prout, Steer - Three Bequests to the Courtauld Institute
Galleries, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 1980
English Landscape Drawings and Watercolours, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/06/1979-01/09/1979
Exhibition of Drawings and Watercolours from the Spooner and Witt Collections, Australia, New Zealand, 1976-78
English Landscape Drawings [catalogue not found], Rye Art Gallery, England, 1971
English Landscape Drawings from the Witt Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/01/1965-01/05/1965
L'Aquarelle Romantique en France et en Angleterre, Musee des Beaux-Arts, Calais, 29/07/1961-17/09/1961
Old Master Drawings from the Witt Collection, Auckland City Art Gallery, 01/09/1960-01/10/1960
Drawings from the Witt Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 1958-59 ...Less
Paths to Fame - Turner's Watercolour Landscapes, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 30/10/2008-25/01/2009
Paths to Fame - Turner's Watercolour Landscapes, Wordsworth Trust, Grasmere, England, 16/07/2008-12/10/2008 ...More
J.M.W. Turner, 'That Greatest of Landscape Painters' -
Watercolours from London Museums, Tulsa, USA, 08/02/1998-12/04/1998
Turner, Prout, Steer - Three Bequests to the Courtauld Institute
Galleries, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 1980
English Landscape Drawings and Watercolours, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/06/1979-01/09/1979
Exhibition of Drawings and Watercolours from the Spooner and Witt Collections, Australia, New Zealand, 1976-78
English Landscape Drawings [catalogue not found], Rye Art Gallery, England, 1971
English Landscape Drawings from the Witt Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/01/1965-01/05/1965
L'Aquarelle Romantique en France et en Angleterre, Musee des Beaux-Arts, Calais, 29/07/1961-17/09/1961
Old Master Drawings from the Witt Collection, Auckland City Art Gallery, 01/09/1960-01/10/1960
Drawings from the Witt Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 1958-59 ...Less
Literature
Paths to Fame: Turner Watercolours from The Courtauld Gallery, Wordsworth Trust; Courtauld Gallery, 2008-2009
no. 29
p. 145
J.M.W. Turner, 'That Greatest of Landscape Painters' - Watercolours from London Museums, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1998
J.M.W. Turner, "that greatest of landscape painters": watercolors from London museums, Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1998
no. 34
p. 141 ...More
Turner Prout Steer Three Bequests to the Courtauld Institute of Art, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1980
no. 15 (Turner)
English Landscape Drawings and Watercolours, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1979
cat. no. 42
Exhibition of Drawings and Watercolours from the Spooner and Witt Collections, Australia, New Zealand, 1976 - 1978
cat. no. 32
English Landscape Drawings from the Witt Collection, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1965
cat. no. 41
L'Aquarelle Romantique en France et en Angleterre, Musee des Beaux-Arts, Calais, 1961
cat. no. 112
Old Master Drawings from the Witt Collection, Auckland City Art Gallery, 1960
cat. no. 17
Drawings from the Witt Collection, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1958 - 1959
cat. no. 53
Blunt, Anthony, Hand-list of the drawings in the Witt Collection, London, 1956
p. 53 ...Less
no. 29
p. 145
J.M.W. Turner, 'That Greatest of Landscape Painters' - Watercolours from London Museums, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1998
J.M.W. Turner, "that greatest of landscape painters": watercolors from London museums, Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1998
no. 34
p. 141 ...More
Turner Prout Steer Three Bequests to the Courtauld Institute of Art, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1980
no. 15 (Turner)
English Landscape Drawings and Watercolours, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1979
cat. no. 42
Exhibition of Drawings and Watercolours from the Spooner and Witt Collections, Australia, New Zealand, 1976 - 1978
cat. no. 32
English Landscape Drawings from the Witt Collection, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1965
cat. no. 41
L'Aquarelle Romantique en France et en Angleterre, Musee des Beaux-Arts, Calais, 1961
cat. no. 112
Old Master Drawings from the Witt Collection, Auckland City Art Gallery, 1960
cat. no. 17
Drawings from the Witt Collection, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1958 - 1959
cat. no. 53
Blunt, Anthony, Hand-list of the drawings in the Witt Collection, London, 1956
p. 53 ...Less
Inscriptions
Inscription: none.
Collector's mark: none.
Label: Removed from mount, now added to curatorial file, printed, from National Art Gallery, New Zealand: Caution / under no circumstances must this work be removed from its frame / New Zealand.
Watermark: none.
Collector's mark: none.
Label: Removed from mount, now added to curatorial file, printed, from National Art Gallery, New Zealand: Caution / under no circumstances must this work be removed from its frame / New Zealand.
Watermark: none.
Information on this object may be incomplete and will be updated as research progresses. We are particularly committed to addressing any discriminatory or offensive language and ideas that might be present in our records. To help improve this record, and to enquire about images of The Courtauld Gallery Collection, please email gallery.collectionsonline@courtauld.ac.uk. Find out more about using and licensing our images.
____________________________