Oswald Achenbach German, 1827-1905

Acquired by the grandfather of the present owner at Lempertz auction house in Cologne in the 1920s; thence by descent

The canvas has been relined. There are some scattered spots of retouching in the sky visible under ultraviolet light, some retouching to the tree and parts of the buildings to the left of the work. There are some small specks of retouching to the girl standing left of the fishing boat and further scattered spots elsewhere. Apart from some very faint craquelure, notably in the clouds, this work is overall in good condition. The work has been cleaned in the past and is ready to hang. Held in a plaster moulded gilt frame.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Oswald Achenbach belongs to the great German landscape painters of the second half of the nineteenth century, following in the tradition of Johann Wilhelm Schirmer (his teacher at the Kunstakademie in Düsseldorf, where he enrolled in 1835 aged just nine), Wilhelm von Schadow and Carl Rottmann. Painting almost exclusively Italian landscapes, the Düsseldorfer Zeitung in 1861 dubbed him 'the true painter of Italy'.

From 1843 onwards, Achenbach undertook various study trips throughout Europe, which took him to the Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, France, Russia and Italy. It was Italy, however, that was to become Achenbach's main source of inspiration, and he revisited the country on numerous occasions throughout his career. He was particularly fond of Naples and its surrounding countryside and neighbouring villages Sorrento and Positano.

The present work depicts fisherfolk on the beach of the bay of Naples. The two mountains in the background are the famous Mount Vesuvius and the lesser-known Mount Somma. The view towards Vesuvius and Somma was among Achenbachs favourites, and became a recurring motif in his Italian works.

Achenbach was held in high regard internationally by his peers and became an honorary member of the Academies of  Amsterdam, Rotterdam and St. Petersburg. In 1863 he succeeded Schirmer as professor of landscape painting at the Kunstakademie, Düsseldorf.