Joseph Vernet (1714-1789) Landing On The Almafitaine Coast

Landing on the Almafitaine Coast
Oil on canvas: 101 x 80 cm
Signed lower left "J.Vernet fecit Romae 1749″
Period frame 19th century

At the end of 1734, Joseph Vernet, then just twenty years old, set off for Rome to perfect his training, an unmissable trip during which the artist soaked up the influence of Italian artists such as Salvator Rosa with his energetic touch or Giovanni Paolo Panini, famous for his "Vedute" paintings imbued with fantasy and a taste for the imaginary.
It is therefore natural for Vernet, attracted by the beauty of the Almafitan coast and his predilection for seascapes, to paint such a subject, the theme of which is not clearly defined.
We can see a landing of smugglers who come to hide their booty in an ancient fortress still preserved today. In fact, today transformed into a luxury hotel, it could have served as a hideout at the time.
On the horizon, we can see Amalfi and its lighthouse from which the boats depart.
The brushstroke is generous and vigorous, characteristic of this pivotal period.
We know of a second version of the painting from a medium-quality photo that is said to be or would have been exhibited at the Academia San Luca in Rome.