Pietro Antoniani
Milan c. 1740 - 1805
A View of Vesuvius Erupting from the Torre del Greco
Essay:
Antoniani painted a number of views of Vesuvius erupting and all portray the grand sense of spectacular drama that this event must have given the onlooker. A painting dated 1776 (previously in the Collection of the Earl of Wharncliffe and sold at Christie's, Oct 16th, 1959, lot 119) of the 1767 eruption and shown from the other side of the Volcano is the same size as this painting. It shows a path leading up to the viewing platform while our painting shows a more extreme example. One figure is seen climbing up to the viewing point in the bottom right corner.
We are grateful to Emilie Beck-Saiello for her assistance in confirming the attribution to Antoniani by email.
Provenance:
Private Collection, France