Lot Essay
Ricciardelli was exceptional among the Neapolitan view painters in that he spent part of his career in England and Ireland. The view of Posilippo from Chiaia was one of his favourite compositions. Versions are in the Alisio Collection, Naples (N. Spinosa, Pittura napoletana del Settecento dal Rococò al Classicismo, Naples, 1987, p. 160, no. 289, colour pl. 64), Saltram Park, Devon (Catalogue of the exhibition Souvenirs of the Grand Tour: A Loan Exhibition from National Trust Collections in Aid of the Trust's Conservation Fund, Wildenstein, London, 20 Oct.-1 Dec. 1982, pp. 28-9, no. 40, fig. 40), that formerly with Agnew's and that in a Neapolitan private collection (M. Utili, op. cit., p. 415, illustrated p. 134); the present picture corresponds most closely with the latter. An engraving of the composition was made by Antoine Cardon in 1765 (ibid., p. 135, illustrated).
No other version of the view of Paestum by the artist appears to be known.
No other version of the view of Paestum by the artist appears to be known.