Lot 2202 D α

Following highly successful and happy years as painter to the royal court in Naples, Jakob Philipp Hackert settled in San Piero di Careggio near Florence in 1799 where he spent the last years of his life. There he painted the present view of Molina with Mount San Liberatore in the background in 1806, one year before his death, based on a composition that the artist had already captured in a pen and ink drawing in 1782 (cf. ill. 1).
The view shows the wild stream Bonea in the foreground which links the settlements of Cava de'Tirreni and Vietri sul Mare, guiding the viewer's gaze into the depths. A path leads along the left of the stream to the next village, a herd is grazing in the foreground whilst the background is dominated by the mighty Monte San Liberatore with its impressive profile. Finally, on the right are several water mills which gave the village its name “Molina” and which were mainly used for the production of paper.
Travelling south from Naples towards Salerno, one passed the picturesque canyon of Molina. Hackert no doubt visited here on one of his sojourns in the Campagna which he undertook during his time at the Neapolitan court. Hackert had already captured the view of Molina in a slightly larger painting in 1804 which, despite the differing staffage, is also likely based on the aforementioned drawing from 1782 (929 Lempertz Auction, Cologne, 22.11.2008, lot 1276).