When foreign ships reached Southern Italian harbours in the 19th Century, it was customary for local artists to sell topographical views, such as the above lot, to the sailors. In some cases a captain would commission the artist to add his ship to the image. These views were usually painted in pairs, for example a day- and night view of the
bay of Naples with the Vesuvius. Many good examples can be seen for
instance in the Municipal Museum 't Behouden Huys on the island
Terschelling.