Thomas Fearnley, 'Coast scene, possibly Capri', probably 1833

This striking painting depicts a coastal cliff. The rock formation glows with warm reds, golds and browns next to the cool blue sea and sky. We can almost feel the rough stone and see how the dark cave creates depth within the vista. A small wall shows that people have been here. Yet untamed nature dominates the landscape. Clear brushstrokes define the gentle waves as they approach the shore. The water changes from deep blue to green-brown near the land, reflecting the colours of the cliff. Small boats dot the far horizon, adding to the sense of vast open water.

The work has been traditionally given to Norwegian artist Thomas Fearnley. His name is written in pencil on the former mount. During the nineteenth century, many artists created rapid outdoor sketches, but this canvas seems fully worked out. The subtle shifts in the water’s colour and the soft light effects suggest that the artist intended this as a finished piece rather than a preliminary study. The cliff looks solid and is rendered with confident brushstrokes in golden-red hues. The sea features fine lines depicting the water movement. A thin line splits the sea from the sky, establishing compositional depth and balance. This level of detail would not be untypical of Fearnley’s finished works. In a letter to his mentor Johan Christian Dahl, he cited a series of Italian studies which he described as completed. Dahl himself considered Fearnley’s sketches to be ‘better than his finished paintings, for in them he gave of his true self’.

Despite the finished quality, Fearnley usually marked completed works with a monogram, ‘T.F.’. But this signature is absent here. The way light and water are painted may remind us of other Northern European artists. For instance, the white brushstrokes forming the foamy waves on the shore resemble the technique of Danish painter Carl Frederik Sørensen. He was renowned for sea scenes and visited Italy in 1864.

The landscape might depict a quiet spot on the island of Capri near Naples. Two oil sketches by Fearnley, marked ‘Capri’ and dated 1833, show a similar landscape. However, it might also portray another rocky site along the Amalfi Coast. Nonetheless, the painting exemplifies the Romantic fascination with dramatic landscapes that captivated European artists in the mid-nineteenth century. During this period, many Northern European painters travelled to Italy seeking inspiration from the Mediterranean light and scenery. The combination of close study of nature and the strong feeling of the wilderness reflects the artistic values of this era.