Rochester Canvas 2

Earlier versions of this page were written before the Hobart Town Catalogues were obtained.

March 2022

The Rochester Canvas

This study is a a discussion of how the first four oils may have been the result of canvas purchased at Rochester in September 1792.

Evidence

• Evidence for the purchase of canvas at Rochester is in the Nephew's Letter
• Evidence for the date of purchase, September 1792, is in Finberg 1939/1961
• Evidence for two oil paintings made during the Kent tour of September 1792
  • (i) The Douglas commission in the Nephew's Letter - and auctions on 14th May1860 and 29th June 1872
  • (ii) In Miller both 'View of Rochester' and a picture in the possession of Dr. Nixon are discussed
  • (iii) The Nixon commission - Hobart Town exhibitions, auction of 9th July 1864 and subsequent auctions
• Evidence for a third oil painting in rapid succession to the first two - the Self Portrait age 16 in Indianapolis Museum.
• Evidence of the 4th oil - 'The Rising Squall' - Articles, auction of 9th July 1864 and Hobart Town Exhibitions, RA Exhibition catalogue of 1793.
• Canvas width of 1.4m - EVIDENCE TO BE ADVISED

The Rising Squall

In this study the disputed 'Squall at St Vincent's Rock, Bristol' has been treated as if it is 'The Rising Squall'

Table of Sizes

* McCormick Catalogue
** Newfields, Indianapolis Museum; Probably: the stretche has been replaced slightly smaller than the original and the canvas has been overlapped.
*** Based on original size of stretcher, canvas not overlapped

A Yard of Canvas?

The three known pictures would fit on a yard of canvas but there is only a narrow strip 11" high ( x 32") for the first picture, 'Rochester Castle and the Adjacent Ground'. This would allow a maximum stretcher height of 10".

Small Oils (on canvas) 10"

Three plates in B& J show that Turner did paint on small canvases with one dimension of 10" or less.

'View of a Town'; Tate N00475 (1798?); Turner Bequest
9½"x12¾"

Storm B&J plate 36
10"x12"

Head B&J plate 453
10" x 12"