The Castel dell'Ovo on a promontory above the Bay of Naples

Details

Robert Henry Cheney (1801-1866)
The Castel dell'Ovo on a promontory above the Bay of Naples
inscribed 'Bay of Baja' (on the reverse)
pencil and watercolour with scratching out
16½ x 26 in. (42 x 66 cm.)

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium, which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis. This lot is subject to storage and collection charges. **For Furniture and Decorative Objects, storage charges commence 7 days from sale. Please contact department for further details.**

Lot Essay

Castel dell'Ovo translates to English as Egg Castle. This unusual name apparently originated from a legend that the Roman poet, Virgil (70-19 B.C.), while staying in Naples, hung a cage from the exterior of the castle containing a vase with a magic egg resting inside it. Virgil professed that if the egg should ever fall, it would mean the ruin of the castle and of Naples.

Castel dell'Ovo was completely rebuilt by the Spanish in the 16th Century. After centuries of conflict, the castle had become the battered ruin that we see in Robert Henry Cheney's romantic portrayal of the subject.

More from WATERCOLOURS OF THE GRAND TOUR FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION

View All