Ischia

Finely executed pencil and watercolor drawing on paper, circa 1830/40.

The sheet, typical of the style of 19th-century Grand Tour travelers, was originally part of a travel notebook.

The drawing depicts the famous Aragonese Castle of Ischia; the view depicts the imposing volcanic rock surmounted by the fortified castle on the left, historically connected to the seaside village (Ischia Ponte) visible on the right. It is a 19th-century sketch or watercolor, characterized by sepia or monochrome tones, typical of the genre of views created by travelers on the Grand Tour and also by artists of the Posillipo School. At the bottom center is the handwritten inscription "Ischia," followed by a partially legible date on the right ("Ischia 11 Oct...").

The drawing, likely from the English School, is unsigned, and we have not been able to identify the artist. He is one of the many cultured artists, travelers, or talented amateur draftsmen who visited Italy in the mid-19th century to immortalize its most picturesque landscapes. Works of this type - animated views signed by artists on the Grand Tour or in the early post-unification period - possess considerable historical and documentary value, as they depict the urban layout before the major building transformations and restorations of the 20th century.

In excellent condition.