Carlos III leaving the Port of Naples, as Seen from the Land

When Charles III of Spain departed Naples in 1759 to claim the Spanish throne, the event was one of the most politically significant moments in eighteenth-century Mediterranean history. The Bourbon king had transformed Naples during his quarter-century reign, commissioning grand public works, the excavations at Herculaneum and Pompeii, and the palace at Caserta. His departure left his eight-year-old son Ferdinand IV on the Neapolitan throne under a regency. Antonio Joli documented the farewell ceremony in two large canvases — views from land and sea respectively — that together constitute the most ambitious and celebrated commission of his career. This land-view canvas, now in the Museo de la Trinidad, shows the Neapolitan harbour packed with vessels and crowds assembled on the shore, while Charles III's fleet prepares to sail. The paired views were sent to Spain as diplomatic records and gifts, ensuring Joli's work entered the Spanish royal collections.

Joli orchestrates a panoramic harbour view with dozens of vessels disposed across the middle ground, using overlapping hulls and masts to create depth. The festive crowd on the quayside is painted with animated but summary figure work, prioritising spectacle over individual characterisation.