A street in Capri

Born in Rome, Waterhouse felt a natural affinity with Italy, returning at various stages of his career. Largely undiscovered by tourists owing to its inaccessibility, Capri became a mecca for artists owing to its natural beauty. Leighton first visited in 1859, Sargent in 1878, and Waterhouse by 1888. All were struck by the extraordinary quality of the light, recorded by Leighton in a series of oil sketches.