Scene in the Campagna, part ViII, plate 38 from "Liber Studiorum"
Turner distilled his ideas about landscape In "Liber Studiorum" (Latin for Book of Studies), a series of seventy prints plus a frontispiece published between 1807 and 1819. To establish the compositions, he made brown watercolor drawings, then etched outlines onto copper plates. Professional engravers usually developed the tone under Turner's direction, and Say here added mezzotint to describe a timeless scene near Rome where a woman, stripped to the waist, dips her hands into a water tank near figures that tend sheep. At right a river flows towards a tower, a classical temple and bridge. The letters "EP" in the upper margin likely stand for Elevated Pastoral and were applied by Turner to landscapes within the set that echo the Arcadian sensibility of Claude.
Artwork Details
- Title: Scene in the Campagna, part ViII, plate 38 from "Liber Studiorum"
- Series/Portfolio: Liber Studiorum
- Artist: Designed and etched by Joseph Mallord William Turner (British, London 1775–1851 London)
- Engraver: William Say (British, Lakenham, near Norwich 1768–1834 London)
- Publisher: Joseph Mallord William Turner (British, London 1775–1851 London)
- Date: February 1, 1812
- Medium: Etching and mezzotint; first state of two (Finberg)
- Dimensions: plate: 7 1/2 x 10 3/8 in. (19.1 x 26.4 cm)
sheet: 8 1/4 x 22 13/16 in. (21 x 58 cm) - Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1928
- Object Number: 28.97.38
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
More Artwork
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.