In this year Turner is magnificently himself again. His works show an extraordinary variety, ranging from the peaceful and unambitious twin pictures of 'Mortlake Terrace,' one on a Summer Morning, the other on a Summer Evening, to the ambitious and extravagant 'Rembrandt's Daughter,' wherein the painter pitted himself against the great Dutchman; but the most welcome work of Turner at this period, and probably that which gave him the greatest pleasure, arose from his sojourn at East Cowes Castle with J. Nash, the architect of the Quadrant, Regent Street, for whom he painted two yachting pictures with East Cowes Castle in the background.
Plate XVIII. Yacht Racing in the Solent, No. 1 (1827) Tate Gallery
We can see the beginnings of his magnificent series of yachting pictures in the Sketch-Books of this year, particularly in those labelled 'East Cowes Castle' and 'Yachts.' These studies resulted in the two pictures of East Cowes Castle, exhibited in 1828, one of which is now in the Victoria and Albert Museum—gold in the sky, gold in the foreground, and the golden sun in the centre of the picture. I for one prefer the studies to the pictures—brisk, impulsive atmospheric works, a delight to the eye. These nine studies, which include the vivid and amusing 'Between Decks,' are now in the Turner Gallery at Millbank. They were among the 'unfinished' works exhibited for the first time in 1906. A note to the official catalogue states that—
'These nine pictures were painted on two pieces of canvas measuring 3 feet by 4 feet. Nos. 1993, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001 on one piece, and Nos. 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999 on the other. Mr. Finberg has communicated a copy of the following letter, which probably refers to these two canvases; it is in the possession of C. Mallord Turner, Esq., who has kindly consented to allow it to be published.
'"Sunday.
'"I wrote yesterday to Mr. Newman to get a canvas ready—6 feet by 4 feet. I wish you to call and ask if he has it by him and if he gets it done by Middleton in St. Martin's Lane, or at home. If by Middleton, then let two be sent; if he does it at home, then he will be some time about it, and then tell him if he has by him a whole length canvas to send it instead of preparing the 6 feet 4 canvas. If he has not then go to Middleton, and if he has one, a whole length canvas, let him send it me immediately. I want the canvas only I don't want the stretching-frame made in town if Middleton or Newman has the canvas ready done, and if a whole length, let either send it down to me
at J. Nash, Esq.
East Cowes Castle,
Isle of Wight.If they are both ready send them together rolled up on a small roller and put the linen things I wrote for on the outside.
"I want some scarlet lake and Dark Lake and Burnt Umber in powder from Newman's, one ounce each.
1 ounce of mastic.
To Mr. Turner,
Queen Anne Street,
Cavendish Square."'
Turner is now painting the sea in the open air, not in a studio as in the 'Calais Pier' days. The boats in the two pictures of 'Yacht Racing in the Solent' are sailing in broken water, their canvases lit and flecked by sunlight. In No. 2 may be seen the guard-ship moored under the cliffs upon which East Cowes Castle stands. Each of these fresh and direct impressions of nature is a small picture, one measuring 1 foot 5 1/2 inches by 2 feet 4 1/2 inches, the other 1 foot 6 inches by 2 feet. In 'Shipping at Cowes' No. 1, he has chosen a still moment. It is the morning of the Regatta; the sun is in the position where Turner loved to place it, in the centre of the sky; the boats are at their moorings and we see only a few sailors preparing for the day's work. This small picture was probably a sketch for the 'Regatta at Cowes,' exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1828.
Plate XIX. Shipping at Cowes, No. 1 (1827) Tate Gallery