Gezicht op een bergachtig landschap en de zee, vanuit de grot Matrimonio op het eiland Capri 1800

Daniël Vrijdag created this print of a mountainous seascape from the Matrimonio cave on the Isle of Capri. Capri, then as now, was known for its natural beauty and the association with leisure, but this image seems to question the romantic idealization of the site. We see the scene as if peering out from inside the cave; the title of the print is inscribed below the image, "Grot de Matrimonio, te Capri." Vrijdag made the print in the Netherlands, so he likely never saw the site in person. Capri was well-known throughout Europe as a destination for wealthy Europeans seeking respite. However, here Vrijdag directs our eye to the working class inhabitants in the foreground. They are set apart from the implied tourist-viewer, and the artist resists the urge to include any obvious symbols of wealth or tourism, such as a grand hotel. Art historians rely on a wide range of resources, including travel writing, political histories, and economic data, to better understand the relationship between tourism, art, and the social realities of places like Capri.