Upper falls of the Reichenbach
Maker
(artist)
1775-1851
1775-1851
Title
Upper falls of the Reichenbach
Date of Production
1802
Medium
graphite, watercolour and bodycolour, with stopping out and scratching out, on white wove paper (per Peter Bower, probably made by John Hayes and John Wise at Padsole Mill, Maidstone, Kent); the verso is covered in grey wash
Dimensions
Height: 32 cm
Width: 47.5 cm
Width: 47.5 cm
Accession Number
D.1974.STC.8
Mode of Acquisition
Jeanne Courtauld, gift, in memory of Sir Stephen Courtauld, 1974
Credit
The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)
Copyright
Work in the public domain
Location
Not currently on display
Keywords
Label Text
From the grand scale of this study, Turner was clearly impressed by the famous falls. The sombre colouring, misty haze and tiny figures create a forbidding atmosphere that was considered an integral part of sublime mountainous landscapes. Predominant greys, touches of white, and the use of scraping out and rubbing the surface of the paper to describe the rocks, water and rainbow, underline Turner’s preoccupation with tone and form rather than colour on his 1802 tour.
Notes
This drawing was developed into a watercolour around 1810 for Walter Fawkes, a Yorkshire landowner and one of Turner's most important patrons (now in Yale Center for British Art).
Provenance
Henry Virtue-Tebbs (1833-1899), by 1871 (per inscription on verso); his estate sale, Christie's (London), 10 March 1900, lot 35; purchased there by Thomas Agnew and Sons (London); purchased there by Mrs Rachel Beer (1858-1927), 1901; her estate sale, Christie's (London), 22 July 1927, lot 25; purchased there by A.J. Finberg (1866-1939); Sir Stephen Courtauld (1883-1967), by 1929; by descent to Miss Jeanne Courtauld (1910-2003); Gift in memory of Sir Stephen Courtauld 1974
Exhibition History
The Courtauld Collection. A Vision for Impressionism, Louis Vuitton Foundation, Paris, 20/02/2019-17/06/2019
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
The Northern Landscape: Flemish, Dutch and British Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 03/09/1986-30/11/1986; The Drawing Center, New York, 08/04/1986-26/07/1986
Turner, Prout, Steer - Three Bequests to the Courtauld Institute
Galleries, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 1980
Turner Gallery, Tate, London, 1979
European Landscape Painting, National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo, 14/09/1978-26/10/1978
English Landscape Drawing and Watercolours, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/05/1977-01/06/1977
Turner 1775-1851, Royal Academy, London, 16/11/1974-02/03/1975
Watercolours by J.M.W. Turner from the Sir Stephen Courtauld
Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 1974
Centenary loan exhibition of water-colour drawings by J.M.W. Turner, R.A, Thomas Agnew & Sons, London, 1951
Exposition retrospective de peinture anglaise XVIIIe et XIXe siecles, Musee Moderne, Brussels, 12/10/1929-01/12/1929
Thomas Agnew & Sons, London, 1901 ...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
The Northern Landscape: Flemish, Dutch and British Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 03/09/1986-30/11/1986; The Drawing Center, New York, 08/04/1986-26/07/1986
Turner, Prout, Steer - Three Bequests to the Courtauld Institute
Galleries, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 1980
Turner Gallery, Tate, London, 1979
European Landscape Painting, National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo, 14/09/1978-26/10/1978
English Landscape Drawing and Watercolours, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/05/1977-01/06/1977
Turner 1775-1851, Royal Academy, London, 16/11/1974-02/03/1975
Watercolours by J.M.W. Turner from the Sir Stephen Courtauld
Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 1974
Centenary loan exhibition of water-colour drawings by J.M.W. Turner, R.A, Thomas Agnew & Sons, London, 1951
Exposition retrospective de peinture anglaise XVIIIe et XIXe siecles, Musee Moderne, Brussels, 12/10/1929-01/12/1929
Thomas Agnew & Sons, London, 1901 ...Less
Literature
Serres, Karen (ed.), The Courtauld Collection: A Vision for Impressionism, Paul Holberton Publishing 2019
ill. on p. 340
J.M.W. Turner, 'That Greatest of Landscape Painters' - Watercolours from London Museums, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1998
cat. no. 8
ill. on p. 89
The Northern Landscape: Flemish, Dutch and British Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1986
cat. no. 111
ill. on p. 245 ...More
Wilton, Andrew, The life and work of J.M.W. Turner, London, 1979
no. 362
ill.
European Landscape Painting, National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo, 1978
cat. no. 50
English Landscape Drawing and Watercolours, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 1977
cat. no. 24
Russell, John and Andrew Wilton, Turner in Switzerland, Zurich, De Clivo Press, 1976
pp. 66, 136
ill. on pp. 66-67
Kitson, Michael, Watercolours by J.M.W. Turner: Turner watercolours from the collection of Stephen Courtauld, London, Courtauld Institute of Art, 1974
no. 3 ...Less
ill. on p. 340
J.M.W. Turner, 'That Greatest of Landscape Painters' - Watercolours from London Museums, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1998
cat. no. 8
ill. on p. 89
The Northern Landscape: Flemish, Dutch and British Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1986
cat. no. 111
ill. on p. 245 ...More
Wilton, Andrew, The life and work of J.M.W. Turner, London, 1979
no. 362
ill.
European Landscape Painting, National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo, 1978
cat. no. 50
English Landscape Drawing and Watercolours, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 1977
cat. no. 24
Russell, John and Andrew Wilton, Turner in Switzerland, Zurich, De Clivo Press, 1976
pp. 66, 136
ill. on pp. 66-67
Kitson, Michael, Watercolours by J.M.W. Turner: Turner watercolours from the collection of Stephen Courtauld, London, Courtauld Institute of Art, 1974
no. 3 ...Less
Inscriptions
Watermark: Watermark: none.
Inscription: Verso: upper left, graphite: "557/72"; left upper edge, graphite, in monogram: "JMWS"; centre, graphite: "This drawing is the property of / H. V- Tebbs Esq - / 26 August 1871"; lower right, graphite: "2966".
Collector's mark: none.
Inscription: Verso: upper left, graphite: "557/72"; left upper edge, graphite, in monogram: "JMWS"; centre, graphite: "This drawing is the property of / H. V- Tebbs Esq - / 26 August 1871"; lower right, graphite: "2966".
Collector's mark: none.
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