Mergellina Waterfront in Naples
1827
-
Location in museum
The Mikhailovsky Palace
Open the panorama of the hall in the virtual tour
Room 16 - Period Early 19th century
- CategoryLandscape
- Share
This landscape was painted by Shchedrin for countess V.N. Shuvalova-Polier. One of the most complete and elaborated paintings of the artist. The choice of the point of view is characteristic. The dynamic cut of the canvas on the left implies the continuation of a vibrant perspective with flanking, resting, indulging in trivial pursuits, noisy crowd of the Neapolitan common people. Here are resting fishermen, as well as a woman brushing her daughter's hair (the verisimilitude of this scene is confirmed by the sketch in the artist’s album). However, in this crowd scattered along the quay, there is order and compositional balance. Shchedrin reached it by a special distribution of picturesque masses and colours. Mergellina waterfront extends the famous Riviera di Chiaia to the west in the direction of Posillipo. In the beginning of the road there is a wooden cross with a crucifix. On the right, near the horizon, on a promontory above the water, there is the Church of San Nazaro, dedicated to the Virgin. On the left near the edge there is a characteristic silhouette of the rocky island of Capri.