Fiesole

Painting height: 66 cm
Painting width: 86.4 cm
Frame height: 84 cm
Frame width: 102 cm

Like Petraia, (displayed nearby) this vibrant landscape depicts the panoramic views that surrounded Lord and Lady Holland’s villa at Careggi. The small town of Fiesole is just visible on the hillside in the distance. In May 1845, Lord Holland reported to his wife that Watts had ‘gone wild about landscape painting’. These two Italian scenes appear to have been private experiments. Watts would not exhibit a landscape painting for another 20 years.

Painted during his time living in Italy this work depicts the area near where Watts lived outside of Florence in the Hollands’ villa. This work depicts the view from Careggi looking east. Bryant notes that Watts likely created this view from an overhanging open gallery under the eves at this villa [1]. During his time in Italy took a great interest in painting landscapes which is apparent not just in the landscapes he painted during this period, but also in the background of portraits, such as a self-portrait he created, during this period [2].

Scholars of G.F. Watts point out differences between this landscape and other landscapes by Watts. Both Bryant and Staley emphasize how Watts showed the landscape at a distance therefore emphasizing this landscape in this work rather than individual buildings or any monuments [3]. Bryant goes on to emphasize this idea when she wrote, “[this work includes] Tuscan dwellings culminating in the hill town of Fiesole, whose famous architectural features are reduced to a few tiny white rectangles” [4]. Staley agrees with these conclusions as he notes, “the subject is unprepossessing agricultural countryside” [5]. Based upon these scholars it is clear that Watts more of an interest in depicting the landscape than the features upon it.

Staley also emphasizes the differences between this work and other landscapes by Watts by comparing it to another landscape Watts completed at roughly the same time- Petraia (COMWGNC.22, 1845). Staley notes that not only does this work possess a larger canvas, but also possesses more observations and details of the terrain and of the sky [6]. Staley uses this information to argue that Watts likely completed Fiesole after Petraia when he stated, “[Fiesole] is probably the later work of the two reflecting Watts’s growing ambition and growing assurance in his newfound enthusiasm for landscape” [7]. Both of these authors highlight this work as both an early example of Watt’s landscapes, which also differs from his other landscapes based upon these features.

Footnotes:

[1]    Barbara Bryant, “9. Fiesole 1844-5,” G F Watts Victorian Visionary (ed. Mark Bills and Barbara Bryant), page 100.

[2]    Barbara Bryant, “9. Fiesole 1844-5,” G F Watts Victorian Visionary (ed. Mark Bills and Barbara Bryant), page 100.

[3]   Barbara Bryant, “9. Fiesole 1844-5,” G F Watts Victorian Visionary (ed. Mark Bills and Barbara Bryant), page 100, Allen Staley, “3 Fiesole 1845,” Painting the Cosmos: Landscapes by G.F. Watts (ed. Allen Staley and Hilary Underwood), Page 26.

[4]   Barbara Bryant, “9. Fiesole 1844-5,” G F Watts Victorian Visionary (ed. Mark Bills and Barbara Bryant), page 100.

[5]   Allen Staley, “3 Fiesole 1845,” Painting the Cosmos: Landscapes by G.F. Watts (ed. Allen Staley and Hilary Underwood), Page 26.

[6]   Allen Staley, “3 Fiesole 1845,” Painting the Cosmos: Landscapes by G.F. Watts (ed. Allen Staley and Hilary Underwood), Page 26.

[7]    Allen Staley, “3 Fiesole 1845,” Painting the Cosmos: Landscapes by G.F. Watts (ed. Allen Staley and Hilary Underwood), Page 26.

Text by Dr Ryan Nutting