The Black Dahlia
06
III
2025

8. Work and Play 1820-36
293 - Battle of the Baltic

Engraved by E. Goodall for Moxon's Campbell's Poetical Works, 1837, p.81 (Rawlinson No.620).

This and No.294 are two of twenty-four designs made by Turner for Moxon's 1837 edition of Campbell's Poems. Rawlinson recounts the story of the commission as he heard it from the engraver's son: Turner was to receive f30 per drawing; 'Goodall was to engrave the plates, and . . . he and Moxon were to divide all the costs and risks and share the profits equally. A draft agreement to that effect was shown by Moxon to Goodall, and later on, the latter signed the document without reading it. Afterwards he discovered that it differed materially from the original proposal as he had understood it and that it would probably mean a very serious loss to him . . . Goodall . . • was advised to ask the painter to cancel the commission for the drawings. He did so, but at first met with a refusal; shortly afterwards, Turner called at Goodall's house late one night, and would come no further than the hall. On Goodall's going to him, he said: "You ask me too much - see what a sum I lose!" Goodall replied: "You could always get equally good pay for your time, Mr Turner." Turner said: "He did not see that he could be expected to forego such a sum." Then Goodall's little daughter happened to come into the hall, and going up to Turner asked him, "if he was the great Mr Turner?" Turner was pleased and said: "I am Mr Turner, don't know about great Mr Turner," and patted her head. Finally he agreed to give up the commission, and said: "This is the greatest act of generosity I have ever done in my life". In the end he made the drawings, charged the publisher £5 each for the loan of them, and retained them in his possession until his death.'



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