Italy - Campania/ Amalfi; Antonio Senape (Roma, 1788 – Napoli, 1850) - Amalfi preso dai Cappuccini - 1821-1850

The work depicts an extraordinary and celebrated view of the city of Amalfi, captured from one of the most beloved vantage points for Grand Tour travelers: the belvedere of the ancient Capuchin Monastery
• On the right rises the monastery’s terrace, bounded by a low arching wall on which a devotional cross stands. On the parapet lean several figures of wayfarers and burghers with top hats, typical characters that populate the views of Senape to give proportion and life to the scene.
• The Background and the City: The heart of the drawing shows the town of Amalfi climbing up the rock, where the historic architectures, coastal watchtowers, and the dense weave of houses perched above the sea are clearly distinguishable. In the distance, the mountainous profiles of the Coast dissolve into an ultrafine hatch that simulates light and marine haze.
• The Sea: The reflecting sheet of water in front is dotted with small sailing boats, described with a few, masterful strokes of the pen.