Lot 1514 Dα

This work, from North German private ownership, is the long lost “View of Baiae in the Gulf of Naples” painted by Richter in 1830 and listed in the artist's own catalogue raisonné as no. 19 “Fischer am Kastell von Bajä” (Friedrich 1937, op. cit., no. 33; Dresden 2003/2004, op. cit., p. 182). As the artist writes himself, the work was purchased by the Sächsisches Kunstverein in the year of its completion. Richter also reiterated this composition in an ink drawing and an etching for the art chronicle of the Kunstverein (fig. 1). The work must have made an impression, as Richter writes in the above mentioned letter to a collector that he would happily paint the work again. This version is presumed to be the slightly varied composition painted in 1834 that is now kept in the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen in Dresden (gal. no. 2228 C).
In the foreground of this work we see a group of fishermen taking a meal together on the coastline. The scene takes place near Pozzuoli in the Gulf of Naples, recognisable due to the mighty castell in the background which was built by the Aragonese. Richter visited Naples whilst hiking from Rome to Paestum with some of his artist friends. The companions climbed Mount Vesuvius together, as well as visiting Naples, Capri, and Amalfi. In his memoirs, Richter describes the young artists' experiences on this hike in glowing terms: “In Naples we encountered a new and magical world, a true paradise for the landscape painter” (cf. Ludwig Richter: Lebenserinnerungen eines deutschen Malers, Selbstbiographie nebst Tagbuchniederschriften und Briefen, ed. by Heinrich Richter, Leipzig 1909, p. 237).
This view of Baiae was not painted in Italy, but in Meissen following Ludwig's return to Germany. He was employed there as a teacher at the Meissen porcelain factory's drawing school. Richter painted numerous views of Italy whilst living there, including “Ponte Salaro near Rome” (1830), “The Forest Well near Ariccia” (1831), and “The Rocca di Mezzo” (1832).