John Ruskin, H.R.W.S. (1819-1900)

The drawing on the verso appears to date to circa 1846 on account of its closeness in style to a drawing of that year in the Ruskin Library, Lancaster, RF1377; Lucerne- walls and towers, dated 31 August [1846]. The recto could also be of the same date or perhaps later. Ruskin had commissioned a finished watercolour of Lucerne, seen from the same direction but from further away, from J.M.W. Turner R.A. (1775-1851) only a few years earlier, in 1842. Joan Severn was Ruskin's cousin.

We are grateful to James S. Dearden and Stephen Wildman for their help in preparing this catalogue entry.