Tivoli with the Temple of the Sybil and the Cascades 1796 - 1797

"Tivoli with the Temple of the Sybil and the Cascades" is a watercolor painting by J.M.W. Turner, executed between 1796 and 1797. The painting depicts a dramatic landscape with a cascading waterfall plunging down a rocky cliff face, leading to a river below. The Temple of the Sibyl, a Roman ruin, perches atop a hill in the background. Turner's masterful use of light and atmospheric perspective captures the beauty and grandeur of the Italian landscape, with a focus on the dramatic light effects and movement of the water. This work demonstrates Turner's early exploration of Romantic landscape painting and his interest in the sublime.