Sketchbook- Winchelsea 1809

This watercolor sketch, "Sketchbook- Winchelsea" (1809) by J.M.W. Turner, is a quintessential example of his early work. Turner, who is known for his Romantic landscape paintings, captured the crumbling ruins of Winchelsea Castle in a delicate and atmospheric way. The work is noted for its loose, sketchy style and its use of light and shadow, elements that would become hallmarks of his later, more dramatic works. Turner's focus on the evocative power of nature and its connection to human history is evident in this work.