Cader Idris: A Stream among Rocks near the Summit
- Artist: Joseph Mallord William Turner
- Date: 1798
- Medium: Graphite on paper
- Dimensions: support: 229 x 332 mm
- Museum: Tate Britain
- Collection record: Tate Britain website
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About this artwork
This is the “Cader Idris: A Stream among Rocks near the Summit” by Joseph Mallord William Turner. Created in 1798 as a graphite on paper study, it captures a quiet stretch of water cutting through rugged rock near the summit of Cader Idris in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Turner, then in his early twenties, was already fascinated by the dramatic landscapes of Britain, and this sketch shows his keen eye for detail and atmosphere. The graphite lines give the stone and water a subtle, almost hazy quality, hinting at the mist that often cloaks the mountain. The composition balances the solidity of the rock with the fluidity of the stream, a motif Turner would revisit in many later works. This piece is part of the Hereford Court Sketchbook series and was accepted into the nation’s collection as part of the Turner Bequest in 1856. Its small, 229 × 332 mm size invites the viewer to step close, almost as if peering into a miniature world. As you stand before it, notice how Turner’s early experimentation with light and texture laid the groundwork for the luminous skies he would become famous for in the 19th century. It is a quiet reminder that even in a modest graphite sketch, Turner began to explore the fleeting qualities of weather and time.
See it in person
Cader Idris: A Stream among Rocks near the Summit is in the collection of Tate Britain on Millbank, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
