Southern Harbour 1630 - 1673

Salvator Rosa’s “Southern Harbour” is a dramatic landscape painting depicting a harbor scene with ships and a rocky, mountainous coast. The Italian painter, known for his dramatic and often turbulent landscapes, captures the dynamic energy of the sea with a swirling, stormy sky and churning water. The composition is anchored by a large ship on the left, with smaller ships and boats scattered throughout the scene. The harbor, nestled beneath towering cliffs, suggests a sense of isolation and perhaps even danger. This 17th-century masterpiece, now housed in the SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst, is a testament to Rosa’s skill in depicting both the beauty and power of nature.