Dartmoor: The Source of the Tamar and the Torridge
Date:
ca. 1813
Materials & Techniques:
Watercolor, gouache, graphite, and scratching out on medium, slightly textured, cream wove paper
Dimensions:
Sheet: 7 7/8 x 12 5/8 inches (20 x 32.1 cm)
Credit Line:
Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Copyright Status:
Public Domain
Accession Number:
B1977.14.4689
Gallery Label:
Harlech Castle was built by King Edward I to help control Wales after its conquest in the thirteenth century. Its strong historical associations and romantically ruined appearance made it a typically “picturesque” subject for an architectural topographer. Far from dominating the image, however, the castle is portrayed in the distance — a departure from topographical traditions that is paralleled in the image’s lack of minute architectural detail. Even more remarkable, however, is the scene of modern industry, in the form of a shipbuilder’s yard, to the right. This presents a striking and innovative contrast with the ancient castle on the other side of the river, which perhaps symbolizes the imperturbable flow of time itself. Gallery label for J. M. W. Turner: Romance and Reality (Yale Center for British Art, March - 29, 2025 - July 27, 2025)
