April 2020

JMW TURNER

Malmesbury Abbey

This watercolour is of interest because it was exhibited in RA 1792/436 (Antique Room) with 'The Pantheon, The Morning After The Fire'. 1792 exhibits would be delivered to the RA around March 1792. Clearly 'The Pantheon' would have been painted after the fire of 14th January 1792 so one could expect framing and glazing of the two exhibits to have taken place in February 1792. Armstrong shows the exhibit as:

• 21"x 15"
• An interior with pigs &c
• Signed "W. Turner, delt."
• In the posession of Herbert A. Day, Esq. (in 1902, Armstrong's publication date)
• Exhibition of Art Treasures, Manchester, 1857. lent by Mrs. Cooper, as 'Malmesbury, First drawing exhibited'
• Armstrong gives its date as 'Circa 1792-3 Possibly R.A. 1792'

If this was the 1792 exhibit then it would have been finished in late 1791 or early 1792.

CF Bell pages 25/26; Malmesbury Abbey

• 21"x 14.75"
• Interior of the ruins of the nave; in the middle a man and a dog; pigs in the foreground
• Signed "W. Turner, delt."
• RA 1792 No.436;
• Exhibition of Art Treasures, Manchester, 1857. lent by Mrs. Cooper
• 1899 Agnew

@GRAVES; 1878,April 6,Christie's,H. A. J. Munro,93. MalmesburyAbbey. Drawing.,Vokins,735,0,0,
also in James p144 who gives size as 11 3/8 x 16 3/8 inches

Christie 23rd April 1898; Grant Morris; JMW Turner; Malmesbury Abbey; drawing; 11" x 19"; From the Novar Collection, 1878
@GRAVES; 1898,April 23,Christie's; J. Grant Morris. 63. Malmesbury Abbey. Drawing. 11x19,Agnew,819,0,0,

@GRAVES; 1891,May 11,Christie's; Andrew G. Kurtz. 197. Malmesbury Abbey. Drawing,Agnew,12,12,0,

@GRAVES; 1912,July 5 ,Christie's,John Edward Taylor,61. Malmesbury Abbey. Drawing. 14x10,Agnew,168,0,0,

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Armstrong page 265

Temporary notes on the various Malmesbury Abbey watercolours

There are 4 in Armstrong (page 265, above)

• 1792-3; 21"x 15"; RA 1792
• 1793; 7¼"x 10";
• 1795; 14"x 10"
• 1827; 11 3/8" x 16 3/8"

There is 1 in Agnew's exhibition of 1919 page 38; No. 53

• 1794; 14" x 10¼"; signed with date