Alexandre Hyacinthe Dunouy

Anonymous sale, Paris, Thierry de Maigret, 10 December 2001, lot 70, for 600,000 French francs (or approximately £56,978);

With David Wade Fine Art, Yorkshire;

Where acquired.

Alexandre Hyacinthe Dunouy spent the years 1810–15 in Naples at the behest of its queen, Napoleon’s sister, Caroline Bonaparte Murat (1782–1839). Consequently, numerous views of the city survive from this period of his career, including his Panoramic view of the Bay of Naples, National Gallery, London, and two examples in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.¹ The present canvas, signed and dated 1810, was likely painted at the beginning of this Italian sojourn, but perhaps before Dunouy had travelled that far south. Although none of the compositional elements can be identified as Neapolitan, the sun-bathed building on the right is certainly Italianate in its architecture.

¹ Inv. no. L822 (dated about 1783–89 or 1810–15, the two periods during which Dunouy is thought to have travelled to Italy), oil on paper laid on canvas, 29.2 x 45.2 cm.; Accession no. 2009.400.52 (dated 1813), oil on paper, laid down on canvas, 33.3 x 50.5 cm.; and accession no. 2003.42.25 (dated about 1810–15), oil on paper, laid down on canvas, 21.2 x 29.2 cm.