British vessels off the coast of Messina, Italy

Four kilometres of blue sea is all that separates Italy's mainland from the rugged island of Sicily. The small town of Messina is located on the Sicilian bank of this strait. Today Messina has 250.000 inhabitants and is nothing like the town depicted in the present pendants. Most of the fortifications which are accurately depicted in the present lot were destroyed during a large earthquake in 1908. However, the characteristic shape of the bay of Messina was unharmed by this catastrophe and the atmosphere captured in these paintings can still be experienced there.