CATALOGUE EVIDENCE ~O~ The discovery of JMW Turner's oil on canvas exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1793 ~O~ CATALOGUE EVIDENCE

1793 Royal Academy Exhibition Catalogues - The Three Catalogue Entries

From examination of the titles printed in the catalogue it is clearly obvious that the two 'St. Vincent' rock, Bristol' entries have been transposed. The two works were hung in different rooms, their titles were very similar and nobody seemed to notice!

The titles were near each other in the catalogue (with the catalogue open at pages 10 and 11; all 3 of Turner's titles were visible*[2]) but in the exhibition they were entirely separated - 263 in the Anti-Room, 316 and 323 were downstairs in the library.

This minor error was just transposition of two very similar titles:
'View on the river Avon, near St. Vincent's rock, Bristol'
'The rising squall, hot wells, from St. Vincent's rock, Bristol'

It would be inperceptable at every stage of catalogue production - both paintings were by 'W Turner' and the similarity of the titles makes it very easy for transposition to take place. The one practical difference is that the 'real' 263 was an oil and would be hung with oils whereas the 'real' 323 was a watercolour and would be displayed with watercolours; thus they would end up in the 'right' place whatever their titles and irrespective of how they were described in the catalogue. Reviewers would see correct titles on the frames*[1].

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*[1] Examples of reviews can be seen in the Anderdon Papers at the Royal Academy. These are not on the internet and have to be researched by visiting. [AND/8/251] is an example of newspaper cuttings. This particular review does not include the Turner and unfortunately the name of the publication has been cut off!

*[2] Pages 9, 10 & 11 of the 1793 RA Exhibition Catalogue

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