Bingen, on the Nahe; Looking towards Bingen and Burg Klopp
On the evening of 25th August 1817, before reaching the landing stages on the Rhine from where he is to continue his journey by boat, Turner stops to sketch at the bridge over the River Nahe. The final watercolour shows parts of the town of Bingen watched over by Burg Klopp, with Burg Ehrenfels in the distance. The Drusus Bridge is depicted in the foreground and behind it, not far away, the Nahe flows into the Rhine. In this painting Turner produces a successful contrast effect of light and shadow with the billowing thunderclouds, which gives the picture a dramatic touch. From a compositional point of view this work displays a certain similarity to Turner’s Koblenz paintings of the bridge over the Moselle. Nowadays the location itself is no longer accessible. The view towards the Rheingau can be enjoyed from the Drusus Bridge.
