Italian school of the 19th century

Italian school of the 19th century.
"Gulf of Palermo", 1839.
Oil on canvas.
Located and dated in the lower left corner.
Measurements: 27.5 x 41.5 cm.

This narrative view of the Gulf of Palermo not only stands out for the intention of capturing the Sicilian landscape, but also for the daily and vigorous activity that takes place on the shore. We see a group of men bathing and refreshing horses in the waters of the gulf. The dynamism is concentrated on the left side, where a rearing horse brings a dramatic tension that breaks the serenity of the maritime horizon. In the background, dominating the center of the composition, rises the unmistakable silhouette of Monte Pellegrino. Its presence is fundamental in the vedute of Palermo, functioning as a geographical anchor that allows the viewer to identify the exact location of the Sicilian coast.

The artist is part of the prestigious tradition of veduta, a genre of urban painting that reached its apogee in the Italian schools of the eighteenth century, with Venice and Naples as epicenters. Driven by the phenomenon of the Grand Tour, this genre emerged to satisfy the desire of travelers to have a visual testimony of their journey, evolving from the genre's genre of manners to the artistic excellence of masters such as Canaletto. This vision of the urban landscape not only consolidated the clichés of the modern city, but also influenced the sensibility of theorists such as John Ruskin, expanding to all the key destinations of the European cultural route.