Alexandre-Hyacinthe Dunouy, 'Panoramic View of the Bay of Naples', about 1783-9 or 1810-15

During the eighteenth century, the Grand Tour brought Naples into the travel plans of foreign visitors. Alexandre-Hyacinthe Dunouy’s views of the city were very popular. He also had the support of Joachim and Caroline Murat. Napoléon Bonaparte made them king and queen of Naples. Caroline was Napoléon’s sister.

We look south-east across the Bay of Naples towards the hills near Sorrento. The artist chose a high vantage point, probably a terrace or rooftop near the Spanish Quarter. Warm sunshine lights up the building fronts on the right. A few clouds pass overhead.

Dunouy visited the city in the 1780s and again in 1810–15. The exact date of this painting is unknown. Like many of his oil studies, this panoramic view is highly detailed. It includes a large number of buildings and some well-known landmarks. We can see the Castel Nuovo, which was rebuilt in the fifteenth century by Alfonso V of Aragon. It appears on the far right with its tower-like walls and strong defences.

A dome and tower fill the left side of the picture. They belong to the church of Santa Maria la Nova, now deconsecrated. A lighthouse rises up just left of centre.

Dunouy loved how light and shadow played across the buildings and roof terraces. This style links him to the Welsh artist Thomas Jones. Jones was also working in Naples during the early 1780s. His brilliant work may have influenced the younger French artist. Infrared analysis of the painting has revealed areas of underdrawing in some of the buildings as well as evidence of squaring up. This suggests that Dunouy planned the composition carefully. This goes against the quick, spontaneous working that we often link with oil sketches.

In the foreground, buildings give way to lush vegetation. There is a grassy terrace in the lower right corner. In the harbour we can make out several faint, tall masts, while a ship sails gently into the bay on the left. Dunouy used greater definition for the architectural elements. He chose softer brushwork and lighter colours for the landscape.

The work has no signature. The attribution to Dunouy is based on similarities to other views of Naples by the artist. These include The Palazzo Reale and the Harbor, Naples and a View of the Coast of Posillipo, both now in private collections.