Gonsalvo Carelli - Terrible Eruption Of 16 April 1873

oil on canvas, 55 x 43 cm

Signed lower left "Gonsalvo Carelli".
Titled and dedicated to Domenico De Luca on the back

Consalvo Carelli was born in Naples in 1818 and was introduced to painting by his father Raffaele, a Vedutist. Very precocious, he exhibited for the first time at only twelve years of age at the Bourbon Exhibition of 1830. He perfected the watercolour technique first with his father and then with the Englishman William Leight, who introduced him to the practice of painting from life. Linked to the styles of the Posillipo School, he is famous for the freedom and airiness of his views.
Between 1841 and 1844, he moved to Paris where he exhibited at the Salons of 1842 and 1843 and where he forged important relationships that won him commissions from English lords and French dukes. Having obtained several gold medals at the Salons, he returned to Naples almost triumphant: the Russian Count Potoky ordered two Neapolitan vedute (views) from him for the Tsar.