Basle, plate 5 from Liber Studiorum by Joseph Mallord William Turner

Basle, plate 5 from Liber Studiorum Possibly 1807

drawing, print, etching, paper

drawing

light pencil work

water colours

print

etching

charcoal drawing

possibly oil pastel

paper

charcoal art

england

underpainting

watercolour bleed

watercolour illustration

charcoal

watercolor

"Basle" is a mezzotint by J.M.W. Turner from his series *Liber Studiorum* which aimed to showcase the artist's artistic range and to educate students. This particular plate depicts the city of Basel in Switzerland, with a bridge crossing the Rhine River and the spires of Basel Minster in the background. The print is known for its soft, atmospheric quality, creating a sense of depth and distance through the use of light and shade. It is one of the most popular plates from the series, and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.