Turner visited Bath in 1791.
In order to emphasise the picturesque possibilities of Bath Abbey, Turner has reduced the scale of the Georgian houses to the right and depicted the abbey from a low view point.
Provenance
Hurrell; Christie's, 1893; bought Ash; Christie's, 1894; bought Revd C.F.Mayo; with Agnew's 1901; James Gresham; Lt-Col H.E.Gresham 1914; Mrs M.E.Gresham 1933; Mrs M.E.L.Lewis-Roberts 1957; by descent until 1984.