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2025 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Joseph Mallord William Turner, one of the most influential figures in the art world. Born circa 23rd April 1775, Turner’s groundbreaking techniques reshaped the world of landscape painting.
Recognised for golden landscapes and stormy seas, Turner is widely regarded as the greatest landscape painter of all time and one of the most influential among British artists.
The Guernsey Sketchbook is a collection of drawings and studies created by the British artist J.M.W. Turner during or following his visit to the island of Guernsey circa 1832. This sketchbook, held in the Tate collection in London, captures Turner’s impressions of the Channel Islands – primarily Guernsey, but also nearby Jersey and Sark – as part of a commission for engravings to illustrate the series The Channel Islands, published by The Literary Gazette.
The sketchbook contains quick pencil studies, coastal landscapes, architectural features, and dramatic seascapes. These works highlight Turner’s interest in the interplay between land, sea, and atmospheric conditions; they also provide insight into Turner’s working process and his ability to capture fleeting effects of light and weather with minimal lines.
Created by Chloe Sarre, each of the stamps in this delightful set depicts one of Turner’s sketches of Guernsey and, as close as possible, today’s corresponding view.
69p: Vale Castle: The sketch depicts Vale Castle set atop the hill with the entrance archway on the right-hand side. Its overall presentation is very similar to the structure we see today.
£1.37: St Peter Port: We see a view of St Peter Port south from an elevated vantage point, with Fort George visible in the distance, and the spires of St James and Elizabeth College visible on the right-hand side.
£2.82: East Coast: From this vantage point, Turner sketched the view along the east coast towards St Martin’s Point, with a boat and buildings seen in the foreground, and the Doyle Monument - raised to commemorate Sir John Doyle who served as the island’s Lieutenant Governor during the Napoleonic Wars - clearly marked in the distance.
£4.63: Fort Grey: This view of Fort Grey, known locally as the Cup and Saucer, is thought to have been captured from the bottom of the steps closest to the fort, based on the angle depicted.
