FDA-D.512-2010
Parts
Object number
FDA-D.512-2010
Object type
Identification
Title
Château d'Arques, near Dieppe
Title Type
assigned by cataloguer
Comments
This watercolour was designed as the frontispiece to Sir Walter Scott's 'Tales of a Grandfather', as printed in volume XXVII of 'Scott's Prose Works'. A colour study for the composition is in the collection of the Art Gallery, Museums and Royal Pavilion, Brighton. Although destined to be reproduced in monochrome, Turner's finshed design is executed in full colour, as the great majority of his other illustrations. The degree of care that Turner took over the engraved plates is indicated by his instructions on one of the marked proofs of 'Chateau d'Arques': he notes 'I want more markings of clouds, yet the whole sky is too heavy'. This comment also underlines the importance of the balance between sky and landscape in the original watercolour.
Scott's publisher Robert Cadell asked Turner to illustrate the author's collected 'Poetical Works' in 1831 and then his 'Prose Works', a project on which the artist embarked in 1834. 'Tales of a Grandfather' is Scott's account of Scottish history as told to his grandson Hugh Littlejohn. Cadell visited London in the spring of 1834 to discuss the illustrations with Turner and John Gibson Lockhart, Scott's son-in-law. The three men had several meetings - 'a most thorough evening of business' - and it was agreed that Turner would travel to Scotland in August or September to make drawings for the 'Prose Works' and a biography of Scott that was to be written by Lockhart. Turner did go north on what he descibed as this 'secret' mission for Cadell, but some illustrations for the 'Prose Works' were based on the artist's 1831 Scottish tour and others, such as the view of Chateau d'Arques, on earlier continental drawings and watercolours. Turner's original studies of the castle above the town now known as Arques la Bataille were made in September 1824. On his return from a summer tour of the Rivers Meuse and Moselle the artist made a detour to Dieppe for the purposes of making studies for an oil painting 'Harbour of Dieppe (Changement de Domicile), now in the Frick Collection, New York. Drawings of Dieppe and Chateu d'Arques are to be found in the artist's 'Rivers Meuse and Moselle' sketchbook.
‘Turner visited Dieppe briefly en route for Paris in 1821, but the sketches used for this watercolour were made on a later visit, in September 1824. Turner made a detour to Dieppe at the end of his tour to the Meuse and Moselle in Germany, in preparation for a commission for a painting of the French port for John Broadhurst. The completed painting was exhibited in 1825, but other sketches in the Rivers Meuse and Moselle sketchbook provided the basis for this later watercolour, used as the frontispiece for an edition of the complete prose works of Walter Scott. Chateau d'Arques was engraved by W. Forrest for volume 27, containing 'Tales of a Grandfather', Scott's recounting of Scottish history for his grandson, Hugh Littlejohn.
The castle, overlooking the town now known as Arques la Bataille, was built around 1040 by Guillaume d'Arques, but fell almost immediately to William the Conqueror. When the French reclaimed Normandy from Richard I in 1204, this was the last of the Norman strongholds to be taken. Turner's view portrays the castle not as a setting for bloody rivalries, but in a kind of timeless pastoral, with the playful children and their pet in the foreground as a reference to the intended readership of Scott's text.’
[Source: 'A Genius for Watercolour', 2003, catalogue number 53, p.62]
This watercolour was designed by Turner as the frontispiece to Sir Walter Scott's 'Tales of a Grandfather', as printed in volume XXVII of 'Scott's Prose Works'; engraved by W. Forrest, 1834-6, 1936, R.555
Scott's publisher Robert Cadell asked Turner to illustrate the author's collected 'Poetical Works' in 1831 and then his 'Prose Works', a project on which the artist embarked in 1834. 'Tales of a Grandfather' is Scott's account of Scottish history as told to his grandson Hugh Littlejohn. Cadell visited London in the spring of 1834 to discuss the illustrations with Turner and John Gibson Lockhart, Scott's son-in-law. The three men had several meetings - 'a most thorough evening of business' - and it was agreed that Turner would travel to Scotland in August or September to make drawings for the 'Prose Works' and a biography of Scott that was to be written by Lockhart. Turner did go north on what he descibed as this 'secret' mission for Cadell, but some illustrations for the 'Prose Works' were based on the artist's 1831 Scottish tour and others, such as the view of Chateau d'Arques, on earlier continental drawings and watercolours. Turner's original studies of the castle above the town now known as Arques la Bataille were made in September 1824. On his return from a summer tour of the Rivers Meuse and Moselle the artist made a detour to Dieppe for the purposes of making studies for an oil painting 'Harbour of Dieppe (Changement de Domicile), now in the Frick Collection, New York. Drawings of Dieppe and Chateu d'Arques are to be found in the artist's 'Rivers Meuse and Moselle' sketchbook.
‘Turner visited Dieppe briefly en route for Paris in 1821, but the sketches used for this watercolour were made on a later visit, in September 1824. Turner made a detour to Dieppe at the end of his tour to the Meuse and Moselle in Germany, in preparation for a commission for a painting of the French port for John Broadhurst. The completed painting was exhibited in 1825, but other sketches in the Rivers Meuse and Moselle sketchbook provided the basis for this later watercolour, used as the frontispiece for an edition of the complete prose works of Walter Scott. Chateau d'Arques was engraved by W. Forrest for volume 27, containing 'Tales of a Grandfather', Scott's recounting of Scottish history for his grandson, Hugh Littlejohn.
The castle, overlooking the town now known as Arques la Bataille, was built around 1040 by Guillaume d'Arques, but fell almost immediately to William the Conqueror. When the French reclaimed Normandy from Richard I in 1204, this was the last of the Norman strongholds to be taken. Turner's view portrays the castle not as a setting for bloody rivalries, but in a kind of timeless pastoral, with the playful children and their pet in the foreground as a reference to the intended readership of Scott's text.’
[Source: 'A Genius for Watercolour', 2003, catalogue number 53, p.62]
This watercolour was designed by Turner as the frontispiece to Sir Walter Scott's 'Tales of a Grandfather', as printed in volume XXVII of 'Scott's Prose Works'; engraved by W. Forrest, 1834-6, 1936, R.555
Other number
Pi 274
Description
Dimensions
height (actual size): 99mm
width (actual size): 149mm
width (actual size): 149mm
Materials & techniques note
Watercolour on paper
Production
Person
Date
c.1834
History and association
Object history note
Exhibited: 'A Genius for Watercolour', Christie’s, London, 6 to 24 January 2003, catalogue number 3; 'Paintings by J.M.W. Turner and Helen Frankenthaler', Turner Contemporary, Margate, 25 January to 11 May 2014; 'Watercolours from the Eton College Collections', Verey Gallery, Eton College, 24 November 2018 to 24 February 2019
Previous ownership
Pilkington, Alan, 1879 - 1973: At Eton College from 1961: bequeathed to Eton by Alan Pilkington, 1973.
Levy, Albert: Sold by Christie's on 1st April 1876 (lot 271); bought by White; with the Fine Art Society 1950
Dillon, John, ? - 1868: John Dillon's watercolour collection was sold at auction by Christie's on 29th April 1869 (lot no. 137); bought by Vokins art dealers
Levy, Albert: Sold by Christie's on 1st April 1876 (lot 271); bought by White; with the Fine Art Society 1950
Dillon, John, ? - 1868: John Dillon's watercolour collection was sold at auction by Christie's on 29th April 1869 (lot no. 137); bought by Vokins art dealers
References
• Martin, S. (ed.), Making Painting: Helen Frankenthaler & J.M.W. Turner, Turner Contemporary exhibition catalogue, Margate, 2014 (p. 42-43, no. 16), Catalogue number: 16
• Ryan, H., Hidden Treasures, W.S. Fine Art exhibition catalogue, 2010 (p. 62, no. 3), Catalogue number: 3
• Wilcox, T., A Genius for Watercolour; Watercolours from the Eton College Collection, Christie's exhibition catalogue, London, 2003 (pp. 38-39, fig. 27)
• Powell, C., Turner's Rivers of Europe: The Rhine, Meuse and Mosel, Tate Gallery, London, 1991 (pp. 175-176)
• Finley, G., Landscapes of Memory: Turner as Illustrator to Scott, London, 1980 (p. 436, no. 1147)
• Wilton, A., The Life and Works of J.M.W. Turner, London and Fribourg, 1979 (illustrated) (p. 296, under no. 555)
• Rawlinson, W.G., The Engraved Work of J.M.W. Turner, London, 1908-13, 11
• Ryan, H., Hidden Treasures, W.S. Fine Art exhibition catalogue, 2010 (p. 62, no. 3), Catalogue number: 3
• Wilcox, T., A Genius for Watercolour; Watercolours from the Eton College Collection, Christie's exhibition catalogue, London, 2003 (pp. 38-39, fig. 27)
• Powell, C., Turner's Rivers of Europe: The Rhine, Meuse and Mosel, Tate Gallery, London, 1991 (pp. 175-176)
• Finley, G., Landscapes of Memory: Turner as Illustrator to Scott, London, 1980 (p. 436, no. 1147)
• Wilton, A., The Life and Works of J.M.W. Turner, London and Fribourg, 1979 (illustrated) (p. 296, under no. 555)
• Rawlinson, W.G., The Engraved Work of J.M.W. Turner, London, 1908-13, 11
