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

The sea-view companion to his land-view canvas of the same event, this painting by Antonio Joli shows the departure of Charles III from Naples in 1759 as witnessed from a boat on the water, looking back toward the city. From this vantage point, Vesuvius looms on the horizon behind Naples, its smoke a reminder of the volcanic landscape that defined the Bourbon kingdom's dramatic setting. The fleet of ships bearing the king northward dominates the middle ground, while the Neapolitan coastline stretches in a broad panorama. Together, the two departure paintings rank among the finest examples of Rococo ceremonial vedute in Europe. Joli's decision to paint from both land and sea angles reflects the twin documentary ambitions of such commissions: to record both the departure ceremony itself and the geographical setting of the kingdom being left behind. Both canvases are now in the Museo de la Trinidad, Madrid.

This sea-view composition exploits the reflective surface of the Bay of Naples to introduce shimmering light into the lower half of the canvas. Joli renders the choppy water with short diagonal strokes, contrasting with the smoother, hazy rendering of the distant coastline and Vesuvius.