View of Capri 1823

Carl Wagner created this pencil drawing entitled ‘View of Capri’ in the 19th Century. Wagner’s vision of Italy, through the pencil, embodies the Romantic movement’s fascination with sublime landscapes and the picturesque. Capri, with its dramatic cliffs and classical ruins, was a popular destination for northern European artists and writers seeking inspiration and escape. Looking closely, we see a tension between the wildness of nature and the built environment. The town, clinging to the cliffs, suggests a human desire to dominate the landscape, but also a harmonious integration. How does Wagner negotiate the social forces of urban development with the sublimity of the natural world? To better understand Wagner's artistic choices, historians might consult travelogues, guidebooks, and other visual representations of Capri from the period. These resources would offer a deeper understanding of the cultural and social meanings embedded in this seemingly simple landscape drawing.