Inscription by Turner: Notes from Nicholson’s ‘Dictionary of Practical and Theoretical Chemistry’
- Artist: Joseph Mallord William Turner
- Date: c.1813
- Medium: Graphite on paper
- Dimensions: support: 88 x 113 mm
- Museum: Tate Britain
- Collection record: Tate Britain website
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About this artwork
This is the graphite drawing “Inscription by Turner: Notes from Nicholson’s ‘Dictionary of Practical and Theoretical Chemistry’” by Joseph Mallord William Turner, created around 1813. Though only about 88 × 113 mm, it packs a lot of intellectual curiosity. Turner, famous for his sweeping skies, also kept a keen eye on the sciences, and this piece comes from a sketchbook dedicated to chemistry and Apuleia studies. In the margins of a copy of Nicholson’s dictionary, Turner scribbled observations—likely notes on chemical reactions or laboratory apparatus—demonstrating his habit of recording natural phenomena wherever he found them.
The work entered the national collection through the Turner Bequest in 1856, and today it sits in the Turner & Constable exhibition, highlighting the creative dialogue between these two British masters. While the subject might seem dry to the casual viewer, it offers a fascinating glimpse into how Turner’s artistic eye intersected with the scientific discoveries of his day.
See it in person
Inscription by Turner: Notes from Nicholson’s ‘Dictionary of Practical and Theoretical Chemistry’ 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.
