Carl-wilhelm Götzloff. Att. To (1799-1866) The Bay Of Naples And Vesuvius From Pausilippus

Carl-Wilhelm GÖTZLOFF. Attributed to
(Dresden, 1799 –Naples, 1866)
The Bay of Naples and Vesuvius from Pausilippus
Oil on canvas
H. 66 cm; L. 98.5 cm

Trained in Dresden by Caspar Friedrich and the Norwegian landscape painter Dahl, Carl Götzloff discovered Italy in 1821 and settled in Naples from 1825. From then on, his paintings broke away from Friedrichian romanticism and moved closer to style of the Pausilippus school, the main representatives of which are the Dutch Pitloo and the Italians Gigante and Duclère, with whom Götzloff also shared accommodation for a time. The works produced are large panoramic views of the Neapolitan coasts, bathed in a warm light and often animated with characters to give a picturesque look to the whole. Geographical distance from Germany did not prevent Götzloff from being a member of the Academy of Fine Arts in Dresden and also from being an artistic agent on behalf of the King of Prussia Frederick William IV. In 1835, Ferdinand II, King of the Two Sicilies, appointed him court painter. Despite international success, it was in poverty that the artist died in Naples.

The writing of the clouds, the treatment of the houses and the figures allow us to connect our painting in the manner of Götzloff. This one does not fail to represent Vesuvius and its fumaroles, the castle of the egg, the San Martino charterhouse, but also a little architectural madness. The pagoda located in the background, at the water's edge, was built around 1815 by the Duke of Roccaromana for the villa bearing his name; A lover of exoticism and taxidermy, the Duke organized large parties in this villa, which has recently become a condominium divided into several accommodations.