View of University Park looking towards New College, Oxford

William Turner of Oxford

after 1825 · Watercolor over graphite · Drawings and Prints

William Turner, called "Turner of Oxford" after the town in which he worked, and to distinguish him from his better-known contemporary, J. M. W. Turner (1775–1851), developed a distinctive watercolor style. Here, the artist characteristically employs flat passages of brightly colored, fluid washes to achieve an exquisitely balanced composition. The distinctive Gothic spires, crenellated towers, and domes of New College, Oxford, seen from the north, rise beneath an expansive sky. A few figures punctuate the wide field that dominates the scene, with a scholar wearing a distinctive cap and gown walking at left, and two girls stooped at center to pick wildflowers.

Artist

William Turner of Oxford

Date

after 1825

Medium

Watercolor over graphite

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Purchase, Guy Wildenstein Gift, 2000