Houses at Sorrento 1825 - 1873

"Houses at Sorrento" is a watercolor by Thomas Hartley Cromek, depicting a picturesque Italian town nestled amongst cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The artist captures the dramatic coastline with large, angular rocks in the foreground and layered, receding cliffs in the background. The scene's beauty is amplified by the light, which illuminates the white buildings and the water's surface, while also casting soft shadows across the rocks and foliage. This evocative scene reflects the artistic movement known as Romanticism, where the focus is on nature's power and beauty. This work, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, exemplifies the romantic depiction of the Italian landscape, a popular subject for artists throughout the 19th century.