View of Naples from the Sea (Primary Title)
View of Naples with the Certosa di San Martino Beyond (Former Title)
Attributed to, Lancelot-Théodore Turpin de Crissé, French, 1782 - 1859 (Artist)
Naples was Italy’s most important Mediterranean port city throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. It was the capital of an independent kingdom that occupied the southernmost region of the peninsula, and the notable archaeological finds at the sites of the neighboring cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum further increased its prestige as a travel destination.
These two watercolors represent the city from different perspectives and commemorate two successive political events that shaped European history in 1815. View of Naples from the Mercato depicts the principal monuments in the center of Naples. In this veduta, or panoramic view, the castle del’Ovo and the Castel Nuovo along the sea, as well as the charterhouse of San Martin and the Castel Sant’ Elmo on the hill, appear adorned with the flag of King Joachim Murat (1767– 1815), who reigned under Napoleon’s authority between 1808 and 1815. View of Naples from the Sea represents the same monuments now topped with the new flag of the Kingdom of Naples, which was reinstated along with the Bourbon dynasty in 1815. The artist visited Naples in 1818, and these two vedute were probably made during this trip to commemorate the major events of three years earlier.
Some object records are not complete and do not reflect VMFA's full and current knowledge. VMFA makes routine updates as records are reviewed and enhanced.
