River Scene with Cattle

From its relatively advanced state, this large river scene appears to be an unfinished picture. In order for the painting to be acceptable for exhibition or sale at this stage of his career, Turner would have added a little more detail or narrative, and made the features already present crisper. He may have concluded that the size was too large for the subject matter and abandoned the picture for this reason.

Credit: Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856