Stettin: View across the Oder to St James’s and St John’s Churches and the Castle
- Artist: Joseph Mallord William Turner
- Date: 1835
- Medium: Graphite on paper
- Dimensions: support: 89 x 162 mm
- Museum: Tate Britain
- Collection record: Tate Britain website
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About this artwork
This is the “Stettin: View across the Oder to St James’s and St John’s Churches and the Castle” by Joseph Mallord William Turner. Created in 1835, it’s a quick graphite sketch on paper, only 89 × 162 mm, part of Turner’s Copenhagen‑to‑Dresden sketchbook. The view is of Szczecin (then Stettin) in northern Poland, looking over the Oder River toward the twin church spires of St James and St John and the imposing castle that sits on the opposite bank. Turner captures the calm river, the soft haze over the city, and the sharp contrast of the stone structures with a light touch of graphite.
Although small, the drawing shows his early fascination with atmospheric effects—light shimmering on water, the way mist diffuses the spires, and the quiet dignity of the castle. It also hints at his later, larger‑scale, more dramatic works. The sketch was part of a journey across Europe, a practice that allowed him to experiment with composition and mood before his famous seascapes and stormy skies.
As one of the works accepted into the Turner Bequest in 1856, it reflects the nation’s recognition of Turner’s talent even early on. The piece offers a snapshot of a 19th‑century city and a glimpse into the developmental stages of a master who would soon redefine landscape painting.
See it in person
Stettin: View across the Oder to St James’s and St John’s Churches and the Castle 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.
