1845
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Capri is a 1845 unspecified by Jean-Achille Benouville, a French Romanticism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
You see a steep, sunlit path winding down a rocky hillside toward the sea, with the white buildings of Capri clinging to the cliffs in the distance. Benouville painted this spot because wealthy Europeans were flocking to Capri in the 1800s, turning it into a kind of open-air studio. The sharp shadows and bright light make the rocks feel almost touchable. If you like this quiet, sun-drenched scene, look up the subject “france, 19th century, mod euro” for more paintings of the same era.
Located in the Mediterrean Sea, south of Rome, the island of Capri has been famous since Roman times for its spectacular scenery and mild climate. In the 19th century it became the home of many European nobles, and attracted artists from across the continent. Here Benouville captured the beauty of the island's rocky coastline, focusing his attention on a path leading toward the city of Capri and past the rocky outcropping of Monte Solaro. Fascinated by the Italian landscape, Benouville spent years in Italy drawing and painting the countryside. From 1838 to 1845 he made at least three trips…
A pair of figures rest on the right side of the composition—both in white garments, taking in the refreshing scent of the sea air.
Read the full account in the museum source.
Jean-Achille Benouville (1815–1891) was a French artist, born in former 2nd arrondissement of Paris.
See the richer artist page
