Lot 1504 Dα

This last work shows a motif from Hackert's new home of Tuscany, which the artist had just begun to investigate after moving there from Florence in 1800. The thick pine forests of Casentino and Pratomagno surrounding the abbeys of Camaldoli, la Verna and Vallombrosa fascinated Hackert, and he wrote an enthused letter to Goethe on 10th May 1803: "Vallombros, Camaldoli, Alla Verna sind die, die eine Menge Stof geben in verschieden arten der Schönen und auch Wilden Natur, dise Mön­che verstehen zimlich die Kultur der Bäume, die Natur ist nicht verstümmelt, man läst sie ihren freien lauf dadurch siehet man sie in ihrer Volkommen heit, Felsen, Baume von verschieden Arten, P[f]lantzen von außerordentlicher Schönheit, Kurtz Allen Stof zu die Schönsten u besten Vorgründe so wohl in Form als Farbe, so daß ich Jung werde wen ich mit den innigsten Vergnügen sie nach Mahle." ("Vallombros, Camaldoli and Alla Verna provide many motifs of beautiful and wild nature, the monks there are knowledgeable in the growing of trees, nature is not stunted but left to take its course and can be seen in its perfection, rocks, trees of various kinds, beautiful plants, in short, all the best motifs of finest form and colour, so that I feel young when I paint them and do this with the greatest pleasure." cited from Nordhoff 2012, op. cit., p. 193).

This painting shows a view of Vallombrosa Abbey in the distance, the current architecture of which goes back to the 15th century. A 12th century bell tower rises above the building, and a more squat, 15th century tower is depicted beside it. The hermitage "Il Paradisino" is shown slightly higher up on a slope. Founded in the 9th century and extended in the 13th, the monks of the abbey would often withdraw here to do penance. Alongside the stately pines framing the right edge of the painting, a traveller with his dog and pack donkey are also depicted walking in the foreground.

Claudia Nordhoff