Lot 1501 Dα

With a label to the reverse at the top of the stretcher inscribed by a hand other than that of the artist: No (.) / Veduta di Pouzzolo, Baja Capo Misono, / Procida, Ischia, presa ai. P: P: Capucini / a Pouzzolo. 1805. Filippo Hackert.

The four paintings in lots 1501 - 1504 form a previously unknown original series of Italian landscapes, were painted in Hackert's last two years as an artist, and despite his advanced age he still proves himself to be at the height of his genius. They prove without doubt his confidence in himself as an artist even in old age, and their provenance, which can be traced back to the artist himself, also adds to their interest. As a group, the order and configuration of which was decided in this form between the artist and his unknown patron, the works take up a prominent place in Hackert's late oeuvre.

The unknown commissioner probably chose the motifs based on drawings in Hackert's studio and listened to the artist's descriptions of the places, at which point they probably also noted their names and locations. This suggestion is supported by the inscriptions to the backs of three of the paintings, which I presume were made by Hackert's customer upon receiving the paintings. It can also be assumed that Hackert's customer was French. On 4th March 1806, the artist sent a letter from Florence to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in Weimar: "Da jetz Wenig Fremde in Italien Reisen, so sind wenige bestellungen, ohn erachtet, so mache ich immer Kleine Geschäfte, habe noch vor Achtag 4 Stück Landschaften a 60 Zech[inen]: nach Frankreich Geschicket." ("As few foreigners travel in Italy nowadays, I haven't had a lot of commissions, only small dealings, eight days ago I sent four landscapes for 60 Zech each to France." cited from Nordhoff 2012, op. cit., p. 216-217). In my opinion, these four works are the same ones mentioned in this letter to Goethe: Hackert probably completed the view of the Gulf of Pozzuoli in autumn 1805, and the other three paintings in the first two months of 1806. Thus, the pieces must have been sent to France in late February.

The Gulf of Pozzuoli, located next to the Gulf of Naples and separated from it by the Capo Posillipo, was among the most well known places in Italy due to its picturesque landscape. The present work shows a view of the Gulf from 120m above it, from the east of Pozzuoli near to the Capuchin church of S. Gennaro. The viewer looks out over the small town built on a tuff stone bank jutting out into the sea, with the domes of the cathedral and the church of S. Maria delle Grazie rising up above the rooftops. The "Ospizio dei Cappuccini" is located on a small penninsula to the left. Baja's 15th century "Castello Aragonese" can be seen on the opposite shore of the Gulf with the flat island of Procida, the high cone of Monte Epomeo and the Island of Ischia behind it. The stretch of land ends on the left of the painting with the Capo Miseno and Monte Miseno.

Claudia Nordhoff