Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775–1851)
Aldborough, Suffolk, ca. 1826
For Picturesque Views of England and Wales
Watercolor and gouache on paper
11 x 15 3/4 in. (28 x 40 cm)
Tate; Bequeathed by Beresford Rimington Heaton 1940
© Tate, London 2016
Turner captures the reflection of the sunlight on the still water with exquisite delicacy in this peaceful scene of a Suffolk town now typically known as Aldeburgh. Boats pass by while a group of men repairs a broken mast. In the background, a Martello tower — one of the many forts built along England’s coast during the Napoleonic Wars — is a reminder of the recent conflict.