Attribution Evidence Summary, Text Only

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1. Cunningham describes a 1793 Turner oil as 'Rising Squall over St. Vincent's Rocks at Bristol'. [_DETAIL_]

2. The Royal Academy 1793 Exhibition catalogue includes a oil by Turner. [_DETAIL_]

3. From 1 & 2 together and examining Turner's two 1793 watercolour exhibits it is deduced that two of Turner's (very similar) titles were transposed in the catalogue and the correct title of the oil was ‘The Rising Squall, Hot Wells, from St Vincent’s Rock, Bristol’

4. A distinctive rock complex appears in Turner's small watercolour of 'Back View of the Hot Wells' and, from the opposite direction, in the candidate oil on canvas. Hot Wells is situated on St. Vincent's Rock. It follows that the distinctive rock complex (in 'Back View of the Hot Wells') is Turner's view of St. Vincent's Rock. It further follows that the distinctive rock complex in the candidate picture is Turner's view of St. Vincent's Rock.

5. The candidate oil on canvas fits the descripion 'a rising squall'

6. From 4 & 5 together the candidate oil on canvas is described accurately by both Cunningham's and Turner's titles which are, respectively:

'Rising Squall over St. Vincent's Rocks at Bristol', and
‘The Rising Squall, Hot Wells, from St Vincent’s Rock, Bristol’

7. The candidate picture exhibits other elements of Turner's early oils on canvas. These oils on canvas are, with one exception, lost; but there are some literary sources which have been examined and found to provide information as to appearance and style of these early Turners. There is also an oil on paper from this period (Tate D00898).

8. Turner exhibited one watercolour in 1790, two watercolours in 1791 and two watercolours in 1792. Therefore the candidate picture is Turner’s first exhibited oil.