Dimensions: support: 204 x 378 mm
Copyright: CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Editor: This watercolor, "General View of the Environs of Naples" by Dominic Serres, feels incredibly serene. The pale blues and greens create such a calming atmosphere. I'm curious, what's your take on this particular view? Curator: Serres really captures the Neapolitan light, doesn't he? It's almost dreamlike. I see a city nestled amidst nature, the suggestion of Vesuvius in the distance... it whispers of both beauty and potential eruption, doesn't it? What do you feel when you look at that distant smoke? Editor: It does add a layer of complexity. I see both tranquility and a subtle hint of danger now. Curator: Exactly! Serres invites us to contemplate the duality of nature and civilization. I love how these simple watercolors can evoke so much!
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http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/serres-general-view-of-the-environs-of-naples-t08269
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The Frenchman Dominic Serres spent the whole of his working life as an artist in England, practising almost exclusively as a marine painter. In 1768 he was one of the thirty-six founder members of the Royal Academy.In 1791 he became Marine Painter to the King. The evidence for a visit by Serres to southern Italy is purely circumstantial. This watercolour shows the view looking from the east towards Naples across the Bay of Pozzuoli; the drifting smoke of Mount Vesuvius can be seen on the horizon. It is a modest gently coloured drawing which reveals a regard for subtle atmospheric effects. Serres has noted with numbers the significant landmarks in the view, and these are described in a key on the reverse. Gallery label, September 2004
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