William Travers - The Neapolitan Woman With A Tambourine (1903)

Oil on canvas signed in the lower left corner in red: "W.F.K Travers 1903".

This painting by William Travers brilliantly illustrates the aesthetic concerns of the time. The choice of bright colors and the light touch used by the artist testify to his desire to capture the beauty of nature and everyday life. The young woman represented, picking flowers and basking in the sun, is an allegory of the harmony between man and his environment. Nevertheless, the threat of Vesuvius, visible in the distance with its smoke rising from its summit, reminds us that man is never safe from the destructive forces of nature. Although the painting was made several years before the 1906 eruption that claimed over 100 lives and ejected more lava than ever before, it is interesting that Travers did not seek to include this tragedy in his work. Rather, he chose to portray an ideal view of the Almafi coast, reinforcing the importance of beauty and serenity in his work. The bunch of grapes, suspended and ready to be picked, adds a touch of realism to the scene while accentuating the idea of a simple and happy existence, in harmony with nature.