Walter Fawkes;
By descent to the Rev. Ascough Fawkes, his sale Christie's, London, 27th June 1890, lot 21 (bt. Lord Penrhyn);
Frank C. Parker;
The Property of a Lady, formerly the Collection of Frank C. Parker, Sotheby's London, 18th March, 1971, lot 74 (bt. Agnew's);
with Richard Green Ltd

Walter Thornbury, The Life of JMW Turner, RA., 1862, vol II, pp.84-87;
A. J. Finberg, "Turner's Water-Colours at Farnley Hall", The Studio, 1912;
Andrew Wilton,  JMW Turner: His Art and Life, 1979, p. 376, no. 655;
Cecilia Powell, Turner's Rivers of Europe, the Rhine, Meuse and Mosel, 1991, p. 66, no. 6;
Cecilia Powell, Turner in Germany, 1995, p. 95, no. 11

This report has been prepared by: JANE McAUSLAND London office: Flat 3, 41 Lexington Street, Soho, London W1F 9AJ Fellow of the International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works Accredited member of the Institute of Paper Conservation Jane McAusland Limited trading as Jane McAusland FIIC. Support: Turner has used a sheet of wove Whatman paper with the watermark of 1816 in the paper which has recently been lined with Japan paper. There is a small supported tear on the right-hand edge towards the top and a group of small creases on the upper right-hand corner. At present it is hinged at the top to a mount. The condition is good. Medium: The pigments are bright and unfaded. Note: This work was viewed outside studio conditions.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

In this carefully preserved watercolour Turner portrays a momentary glimpse of a peaceful river landscape in Northern Europe.♔ Drawn upon a sheet of paper prepared with a soft grey wash, vigorous scratching ඣout and delicate applications of darker hues are used to delineate form and detail.

Faithful to representing a landscape on what appears to have been a rather overcast day, Turner clearly relishes this opportunity to experiment with technical manipulation and variations of colour. In the sky, vigorous scratching out with a knife or f𒀰inger nail reveals the brilliant white sheet underneath and enervates the scene with the energy and movement of restless clouds. Along the valley, Turner uses a brush on wet paper one moment and a dry brush on dried coloured paper the next. In the near foreground, the smallest dab of a brilliant yellow pigment is used, ♕a flower, or perhaps simply a clever artistic device ensures the viewer inspects this scene closely.

Turner had walked up through this valley in August 1817. [i] As the drawing in his large Rhine sketchbook illustrates (Fig.1) Turner had paused here to record the junction where the Lahn joins the mighty Rhine River.[ii] In this completed watercolour Turner emphasises and enhances the scale a𓃲nd drama of the topography of this location. Burg Lahneck is situated high on the left, with St John's church at Niederlandstein situated below at the water🍒's edge. Meanwhile across a narrow bend in the river the dramatic dark silhouette of the castle of Stolzenfels perches on top of the steep cliff.

This watercolour✱ is one of a series of fifty one watercolours documenting Turner's journey along the Rhine which he eagerly presented to Walter Fawkes on his return to England, 'befor🍰e he had even taken off his great-coat he produced these drawings [finished watercolours] rolled up slovenly and anyhow, from his breast pocket.'[iii]

Arguably central Europe's most important river, Turner and his patron Fawkes were clearly fascinated by the Rhine. But what Turner also takes great pains to illustrate in all the watercolours from this series are the variations in weather which he had experienced along this route. Furthermore, Turner als🥂o goes to great lengths to include the recent modernisations which this landscape had experienced.  The 'Route Napoleon' had recently been constructed along the west bank of the Rhine from Cologne to Mainz and Turner focuses attention as much upon the recent achievement of the engineers of this feature as the picturesque details of vineyards and historic towns and castles. Although this view is painted from the east bank of the Rhine, Turner nevertheless highlights the juxtaposition here between the traditional form of river transport along this route and the dominant presence of the bold and solid structure of the road and embankment which thrusts straight through the vineyards.  

As contemporary guidebooks explained, the landscape alongside the Rhine was surrounded by heights rich in silver, copper, marble, slate, lime and lead. It is therefore perhaps more than mere co𓂃incidence that the colour tones Turner ⛄uses in this scene bring to mind the hues and variations of blue/grey with touches of yellow/russet associated with such stones and minerals.[iv]

Turner's experiments with meteorological and geological variations specific to a certain area are more popularly discussed in relation to his sketches and watercolours of the Swiss Alps. However, in this watercolour (and this series), Turner's apparent revelry in the exp🤪loration of the varied hues that exist between thi🌸s northern landscape and sky, is an important precursor to his later colouristic developments.

Although debate surrounds precisely when and where Turner executed the finished watercౠolours what captivated earlier viewers was the sentiment demonstrated in these watercolours.[v] On viewing them together in 1850, Walter Thornbury found them 'most exquisite for sad tenderness, for purity, twilight poetry, truth, and perfection of harmony. They are to the eye, what the finest verses of Tennyson are to the ear. They do what 🥀so few things on earth do: completely satisfy the mind.'[vi]

[i] Cecilia Powell's research points out that Turner had clearly consulted both Charles Campbell's The Traveller's Complete Guide through Belgium and Holland... with a Sketch of a Tour in Germany, 2^nd Edition 1817 and Views Taken on and near the River Rhine, at Aix la Chapelle, and on the River Maese by the Reverend John Gardnor, 1791, Cecilia Powell, lit.op.cit, 1991, p. 21

[ii] (TB CLXI 12v-13r)

[iii] Fawkes paid £500 for this series. See Cecilia Powell, Lit.op.cit., 1995, p. 27.

[iv] Turner's interest in science and geology has been discussed by James Hamilton amongst others. See James Hamilton, Turner and the Scientists, 1998.

[v] Walter Thornbury and John Ruskin suggested that the watercolours were completed whilst in Germany, but Cecilia Powell suggests that Turner might equally have painted this group upon his return to England, perhaps at Raby Castle, the seat of the Earls of Darlington, where he stayed immediately before his arrival at Farnley Hall. See, Cecilia Powell, lit.op.cit., 1995, p. 26.

[vi] Walter Thornbury, lit.op.cit, 1862, vol II, pp.84-87