Watercolour, gouache and graphite on paper
Unidentified Subjects, Possibly for ‘England and Wales’
Unidentified Subjects, Possibly for ‘England and Wales’
England and Wales Colour Studies c.1825-39
England and Wales Colour Studies c.1825-39
Tate Collection
Works with images
Joseph Mallord William Turner
Turner Bequest
Collection
Turner owned by Tate
Catalogued Turner works on paper
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/joseph-mallord-william-turner-558" aria-label="More by Joseph Mallord William Turner" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Joseph Mallord William Turner</a>
A Tower or Spire in a Landscape Aurora Borealis
Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
architecture
astronomy
building - non-specific
features
landscape
Northern Lights
sky
tower
townscapes / man-made features
wooded
<p>At the bottom of this sheet Turner has inscribed the words 'Aurora Borealis', possibly suggesting that this sketch records the natural phenomenon also known as the 'northern lights'. However, Turner has not actually recreated any of the distinctive, often spectacular, effects usually associated with these unusual apparitions. This is, nevertheless, a nocturnal scene. The looming form, seen indistinctly at the centre of the image, is more likely to be a church tower than a lighthouse.</p><p><em>Gallery label, September 1995</em></p>
paper unique watercolour gouache graphite
A Tower or Spire in a Landscape (‘Aurora Borealis’)
support: 310 × 488 mm
Accepted by the nation as part of the <a href="/search?gid=999999781" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">Turner Bequest</a> 1856
<p>At the bottom of this sheet Turner has inscribed the words 'Aurora Borealis', possibly suggesting that this sketch records the natural phenomenon also known as the 'northern lights'. However, Turner has not actually recreated any of the distinctive, often spectacular, effects usually associated with these unusual apparitions. This is, nevertheless, a nocturnal scene. The looming form, seen indistinctly at the centre of the image, is more likely to be a church tower than a lighthouse.</p>
Display caption
1995-09-25T00:00:00
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Catalogue entry
2013-12-08T00:00:00
catalogue-entry-xml
TURNER_CATALOGUE_TEXT_WORK
architecture astronomy building - non-specific features landscape Northern Lights sky tower townscapes / man-made features wooded
CCLXIII 158