This is one of three monumental paintings Turner worked on in the mid-1820s focused on northern European port cities. Another, depicting Cologne, in Germany, is also in the Frick’s collection, and the third, an unfinished painting of Brest, on the northwest coast of France, is at the Tate, in London. Before painting this canvas, Turner twice visited the fishing port of Dieppe, in Normandy, on the north coast of France, and made sketches on-site. He used these—as well as his memory and imagination—to produce the painting in his London studio. His romantic view omits signs of modernization that one would have encountered in Dieppe in the 1820s, such as steamboats. Instead, he focuses on the vibrant energy of the town, with hundreds of figures basking in the glow of sunlight. Critics derided Turner’s golden tones, considering them more appropriate to a southern climate. The French subtitle Turner assigned to the painting—“Changement de Domicile” (Change of Home Address)—may refer to the couple at right, who appear to be loading or unloading objects from boats.
Harbor of Dieppe: Changement de Domicile
Turner visited the French fishing port of Dieppe, in Normandy, twice before painting this canvas in his London studio. The work draws from sketches made on site, as well as from memory and imagination. In this romantic view, signs of modernization, such as the steamboats then in use, are excluded. Turner focuses on the vibrant energy of the town filled with glowing sunlight and hundreds of figures engaged in lively activities. The French subtitle Turner assigned the painting—“Changement de Domicile” (change of home address) — may refer to the couple at right, who appear to be loading or unloading objects from boats. Turner elevates his genre scene through the monumental scale of the canvas and the compositional format borrowed from the grand seaports of Claude Lorrain. Here, as in Claude’s paintings, a central core of sun reflected on water draws the eye back in space, while two arms of the city, with its buildings and boats, reach around it. Journalists of the time criticized Turner’s golden tones, considering them more appropriate to a southern climate.
James Wadmore. His sale, May 5–6, 1854, Christie’s, Lot 185, sold for 1,850 guineas to Grundy, probably for John Naylor, Leighton Hall, Welshpool, Montgomeryshire. Mrs. Naylor. Bought from her, together with Cologne, by Agnew and Sulley, through Dyer and Sons, for a total of £42,000. Knoedler. Frick, 1914.
Source: Paintings in The Frick Collection: American, British, Dutch, Flemish and German. Volume I. New York: The Frick Collection, 1968.
