Turner’s sketchbooks were private things which he kept to himself.
As a boy he liked to go up.
Turner drew and painted sky, clouds, and weather all his life. Besides many watercolor studies of sky effects, the Sketchbook reproduced within this unique publication also includes pencil sketches of places in London and the surrounding area.
In the studio, they served as memory banks for future work.
They might live for some time in his coat pockets or travel bags, to be pulled out as need arose.
Turner’s sketchbooks were private things which he kept to himself