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Lot Essay
Few artists of the eighteenth century were as widely travelled as Antonio Joli. At an early age he moved to Rome where he entered the studio of Giovanni Paolo Panini before returning north to Modena and Perugia to work as a scene painter. By 1735 he was in Venice, where he came into contact with Canaletto, before arriving in 1744 in London, where he remained until 1748, working for key patrons including Charles, 2nd Duke of Richmond, grandson of King Charles II. After a sojourn in Madrid, he received permission from the Spanish king to return to Italy in 1755, where he settled in Naples under the patronage of Charles VII, later King Charles III of Spain.
These two spirited views show his versatility and elegance as a view painter: topographically accurate, and executed with a typically light touch, Joli readily summons the atmosphere of both Pula and Naples. Toledano reasons that the former must date after 1759, when Joli signs and dates three views of Paestum. The only other view of Pula by Joli that Toledano records is the larger canvas in the collection of the Duke of Buccleuch, which takes its viewpoint from further back, showing a wider expanse of water. It is likely that Joli was in Venice around this time, and made the journey to Pula from there (Toledano, op. cit., p. 264). The view shows, on the left, the city’s renowned amphitheatre, built between 27BC and 63AD, which is one of the largest and best preserved of surviving Roman amphitheatre. In the centre on the hill is the castle, built in the seventeenth century, and to the right, nestled amongst buildings, is the Arch of the Sergii.
Naples was, of course, one of the highlights of the Grand Tour, particularly after the discovery and excavation of the nearby ancient sites of Herculaneum in 1739 and Pompeii a decade later. Joli’s topographical views of Naples, and its surrounding countryside, were highly sought after by wealthy visitors to the city. His patrons included Sir William Hamilton and John, Lord Brudenell, later Marquess of Monthermer, who commissioned a number of views of Naples and other southern cities from the artist. It is possible that both these views were also made for Lord Brudenell: they were part of a set of views, at least six of which came into the collection of the Earls of Winchelsea and Nottingham, Burley on the Hill, until sold in 1987. The others showed Florence, Paestum and two were of Venice (Toledano, op. cit., nos. V.III, V.IV.I, V.V.VI.3 and N.XXXVIII.2).
These two spirited views show his versatility and elegance as a view painter: topographically accurate, and executed with a typically light touch, Joli readily summons the atmosphere of both Pula and Naples. Toledano reasons that the former must date after 1759, when Joli signs and dates three views of Paestum. The only other view of Pula by Joli that Toledano records is the larger canvas in the collection of the Duke of Buccleuch, which takes its viewpoint from further back, showing a wider expanse of water. It is likely that Joli was in Venice around this time, and made the journey to Pula from there (Toledano, op. cit., p. 264). The view shows, on the left, the city’s renowned amphitheatre, built between 27BC and 63AD, which is one of the largest and best preserved of surviving Roman amphitheatre. In the centre on the hill is the castle, built in the seventeenth century, and to the right, nestled amongst buildings, is the Arch of the Sergii.
Naples was, of course, one of the highlights of the Grand Tour, particularly after the discovery and excavation of the nearby ancient sites of Herculaneum in 1739 and Pompeii a decade later. Joli’s topographical views of Naples, and its surrounding countryside, were highly sought after by wealthy visitors to the city. His patrons included Sir William Hamilton and John, Lord Brudenell, later Marquess of Monthermer, who commissioned a number of views of Naples and other southern cities from the artist. It is possible that both these views were also made for Lord Brudenell: they were part of a set of views, at least six of which came into the collection of the Earls of Winchelsea and Nottingham, Burley on the Hill, until sold in 1987. The others showed Florence, Paestum and two were of Venice (Toledano, op. cit., nos. V.III, V.IV.I, V.V.VI.3 and N.XXXVIII.2).