A previously recorded but untraced watercolour painting by JMW Turner, which has been kept in a private family collection since before 1956, has resurfaced and will be offered at Cheffins in Cambridge as part of The Fine Sale on 22nd March.
Lot 28, Chepstow Castle on the river Wye, Monmouthshire, by JMW Turner
The picture, which shows a view of Chepstow Castle, was painted by Turner when he was only 19 years old, and this is the first time in nearly 100 years that it has been offered to the open market.
There are only two known paintings of this view of Chepstow Castle and bridge in Monmouthshire by Turner known to be in existence, this, and one other, which is currently held in the Courtauld Institute. The painting depicts Chepstow Castle overlooking the River Wye, showing the view from downstream of a wooden bridge, complete with a boat in the foreground and the castle alongside a series of cottages. The version held at the Courtauld Institute is undated, less finished and smaller than the painting to be offered by Cheffins, and differences can be observed in the arrangement of the boats, the detailing of the town and castle and the position of the figures on the bridge.
Signed ‘Turner’ and dated 1794, the attribution has been confirmed by Andrew Wilton, the leading scholar on Turner and who was the first Curator of the Clore Gallery for the Turner Collection at the Tate Britain.
Patricia Cross, Associate at Cheffins, comments: “This painting is an important record of Turner’s early style which was developing at a fast pace at this time of his life. His use of colour and perspective and extraordinary attention to detail are characteristic of his work in the early 1790s and can be seen in various other watercolours of the period. Given its large scale and highly finished composition, it is likely that this would have been painted as a presentation piece for an important patron, such as Dr Thomas Monro, in whose collection this watercolour was found in 1833. The present view would have been created during one of Turner’s first tours throughout the England and Wales as a professional artist. Turner is considered one of the greatest landscape painters in the world, and this is an important collectors’ piece, offering a glimpse into his painting style in the early part of his career.”
The painting has been kept in a London-based private collection, and is offered in immaculate condition. It has an estimate of £30,000 - £50,000.
Auction: The Fine Sale – 22nd March 2023 from 11am
Location: Cheffins, Clifton House, 1-2 Clifton Road, Cambridge, UK, CB1 7EA