TIVOLI : MAECENA'S VILLA AT SUNSET

Object Description

Oil painting on card. Signed at lower left. Inscribed verso.

Object History

Havell was in Italy from 1828 to 1829 with fellow artist Thomas Uwins. They travelled extensively in the environs of Rome and from oil sketches such as this Havell painted large exhibition pictures shown at the Royal Academy and British Institution (“Marcena’s Villa”: Royal Academy 1830)
This small but intense oil sketch is quite magical and is similar to the work of Samuel Palmer who visited Rome shortly afterwards. By using thin card artists were able to sketch in oil ‘en plain air’ and easily transport them in slotted boxes whilst still wet.

Object Condition

Good

Object Details