J.M.W. Turner. 1775-1851.
Liber Studiorum
Bridge and Cows. Published by J.M.W. Turner c. June, 1807. Etching and mezzotint. Finberg 2.iii or iv/v. Series: Liber Studiorum. 8 1/8 x 11 3/8 (sheet 11 1/2 x 16 3/4). Drawn and etched by J.M.W Turner. Engraved (mezzotinted) by C. Turner (Charles Turner. 1773-1857). A fine impression printed in sepia ink, printed on cream wove paper with full margins. Signed with the artists' names in the plate. $500.
The Woman and the Tambourine. c. 1806-07. Published by J.M.W. Turner, ?11 June 1807. Etching and mezzotint. Finberg 3.iii/iv. Series: Liber Studiorum. 8 1/4 x 11 1/2 (sheet 11 5/8 x 17 1/4). Drawn and etched by J.M.W Turner. Engraved (mezzotinted) by C. Turner C. Turner (Charles Turner. 1773-1857). A richly-inked impression printed in sepia ink on off-white wove paper on the full sheet with deckle edges. With the blindstamp of the 1873 Turner collection sale at Christie's, in the plate just before the text 'Engraved by C. Turner'. Signed with the artists' names in the plate. $550.
Basle. c. 1806-07. Published by J.M.W. Turner, ?11 June 1807. Etching and mezzotint. Finberg 5.ii/vi. Series: Liber Studiorum. Image: 7 1/4 x 10 1/4; plate: 8 1/4 x 11 1/4; sheet: 10 3/4 x 14 3/8. Drawn and etched by J.M.W Turner. Engraved (mezzotinted) by C. Turner (Charles Turner. 1773-1857). Margins grubby; otherwise good condition. A fine impression printed in sepia ink, on cream laid paper with full margins. Signed with the artists' names in the plate. $450.
Dunstanborough Castle. 1808. Published by Charles Turner, 10 June 1808. Etching and mezzotint. Finberg 10.iii/v. Series: Liber Studiorum. Image: 7 1/8 x 10 7/16; plate: 8 1/8 x 11 3/8; sheet: 11 7/8 x 17 3/4. Drawn and etched by J.M.W Turner. Engraved (mezzotinted) by C. Turner (Charles Turner. 1773-1857). A fine proof impression printed in black/brown ink, on cream wove paper with full margins, apart from a paper loss in the top right-hand margin, well outside the image. Signed with the artists' names in the plate. $650 .
The Fifth Plague of Egypt. 1808. Published by Charles Turner, 10 June 1808. Etching and mezzotint. Finberg 16.iii. Series: Liber Studiorum. Image: 7 1/16 x 10 3/16; plate: 8 1/8 x 11 3/8; sheet: 11 /4 x 17. Drawn and etched by J.M.W Turner. Engraved (mezzotinted) by C. Turner (Charles Turner. 1773-1857). Slight soiling in the margins, well outside the image. A fine impression printed in black/brown ink, on the full sheet of cream wove paper. Signed with the artists' names in the plate. $500.
Hind Head Hill. c. 1808. Published by J.M.W.Turner, 1 January 1811. Etching and mezzotint. Finberg 25.ii/iv. Series: Liber Studiorum. Image: 7 x 10 1/4; plate: 8 3/16 x 11 3/8; sheet: 11 3/16 x 16 5/8. Drawn and etched by J.M.W Turner. Engraved (mezzotinted) by Dunkarton (Robert Dunkarton 1744–1811). A fine impression printed in black/brown ink, on the full sheet of cream wove paper. Signed with the artists' names in the plate. $550.
St. Catherine's Hill Near Guilford. c. 1808. Published by J.M.W.Turner, 1 January 1811. Etching and mezzotint. Finberg 33.ii/iii. Series: Liber Studiorum. Image: 7 5/16 x 101/4; plate: 8 3/8 x 11 1/2; sheet: 12 x 17 5/8. Drawn and etched by J.M.W Turner. Engraved (mezzotinted) by J.C. Easling (J.C. Easling active 1812-1833).With the blindstamp of the 1873 Turner collection sale at Christie's, in the plate just before the text 'Engraved by J.C. Easling'. A fine impression printed in black/brown ink, on the full sheet of cream wove paper. Signed with the artists' names in the plate. $550.
Crypt of Kirkstall Abbey. c. 1806-07. Published by J.M.W.Turner, 11 February 1812. Etching, aquatint and mezzotint. Finberg 39.iv/iv. Series: Liber Studiorum. Image: 7 1/16 x 10 7/16; plate: 8 1/4 x 11 1/2; sheet: 10 7/16 x 15 3/4. Drawn, etched and engraved (mezzotinted) by J.M.W Turner. A fine impression printed in sepia ink, on cream wove paper with full margins. One of eleven prints from the series that totally by Turner's hand. Signed with the artist's name in the plate. $2,000.
Rivaux Abbey, Yorkshire. c. 1806-07. Published by J.M.W. Turner, 23 May 1812. Etching and mezzotint. Finberg 51.iii/iv. Series: Liber Studiorum. Image: 7 3/16 x 10 1/2; plate: 8 5/8 x 11 15/16; sheet: 11 1/4 x 16 1/4. Drawn and etched by J.M.W Turner. Engraved (mezzotinted) by H. Dawe (Henry Dawe. 1790–1848). A fine impression printed in black/brown ink, on cream wove paper with full margins. Signed with the artists' names in the plate. $550.
Turner conceived the Liber studiorum in part as a response to Claude Lorrain's volume of drawings entitled Liber veritatis, of which prints were published by John Boydell in three volumes under the same title (London: 1777-1804). The principal purpose of the Liber veritatis was to provide the artist with a private record of his finished oils and their owners, which also served the purpose of providing a reference by which genuine works could be distinguished from forgeries. Whereas Turner's Liber studiorum was always intended for publication, it shared some similarity of purpose. As the work progressed it acquired a momentum that was independent of the inspiration, and became "a truly monumental work, taking rank with the highest productions of Turner's genius, and exhibiting intimately his strength, as indeed also his weakness, during a period of his life in which a large part of his strongest and soberest ... work was done" (Rawlinson, p.iii). The 71 plates were issued in 14 parts (each containing five etchings) over some four years; in addition to these, a further 20 were printed, but not published. Lowndes pp.2722-2723; W.G. Rawlinson Turner's Liber studiorum (London, 1878).
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