Artwork
Marina Piccola, Capri
Marina Piccola, Capri is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist William Stanley Haseltine. It dates from 1858 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Created by William Stanley Haseltine in 1858, the work captures a specific maritime setting rather than a narrative or allegorical event.
The painting depicts the coastal landscape of Marina Piccola on the island of Capri, featuring a boat as a central element of the scene. Created by William Stanley Haseltine in 1858, the work captures a specific maritime setting rather than a narrative or allegorical event. The inclusion of the vessel anchors the composition within a realistic portrayal of the harbor environment.
As a landscape painting, its primary meaning lies in the documentation of this Italian location during the mid-nineteenth century, reflecting the artist's focus on topographical accuracy and natural light.
Technique & Style
The work is an oil painting executed on paper that is mounted on canvas, a support commonly used in the mid‑19th century to provide stability for delicate paper surfaces. Created in 1858, it is classified as a painting and portrays a boat, reflecting the artist’s interest in maritime subjects. The piece entered the National Gallery of Art collection through a gift in 1953 from the artist’s daughter, and it remains in the museum’s holdings in Washington, D.C.
History & Provenance
The work was painted by William Stanley Haseltine in 1858, as recorded in both institutional and public sources.
Its provenance begins with the artist, after which it remained within his estate at Palazzo Altieri in Rome until around 1930. It was later inherited by his daughter, Helen Haseltine Plowden (Mrs. Roger Plowden) in New York. In 1953, the painting was donated to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., where it remains in the collection.
Marina Piccola, Capri (1858) is an oil on paper on canvas painting by William Stanley Haseltine. The work is part of the National Gallery of Art’s collection in Washington, D.C., having entered the museum in 1953 as a gift from the artist’s daughter, Helen Haseltine Plowden. Its accession is recorded as a 1953 gift.
No specific exhibition record is documented in the available sources, indicating that the painting has remained in the museum’s permanent holdings without a separate exhibition history.
Overview
Marina Piccola, Capri, painted by William Stanley Haseltine around 1858, captures a serene coastal scene. The artwork depicts a small sailboat navigating the turquoise waters near jagged cliffs, bathed in intense sunlight. The composition emphasizes the natural beauty and stillness of the Italian landscape, a subject Haseltine frequently explored during his travels. This oil painting on paper, mounted on canvas, exemplifies his approach to capturing specific atmospheric conditions.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
William Stanley Haseltine was born on June 11, 1835, in Philadelphia to John Haseltine, a successful businessman, and Elizabeth Shinn Haseltine, an amateur landscape painter.
