Lunch at Posillipo

Lunch at Posillipo (1879), now in the Galleria d'Arte Moderna in Milan, depicts an outdoor meal at the promontory on the western edge of Naples overlooking the Bay of Naples toward Vesuvius. Since antiquity, Posillipo had been a site of leisure for those who could afford it, and its villas and restaurants were popular destinations for the Neapolitan aristocracy and their visitors. De Nittis, who grew up near Naples, knew Posillipo well, and this canvas represents both personal geographical memory and a response to the Impressionist interest in leisure subjects set against spectacular natural backdrops. The combination of outdoor dining and one of the most celebrated panoramas in Europe gave De Nittis a subject of exceptional richness, combining social observation with the most dramatic landscape he ever depicted.

The outdoor lunch setting required balancing the social complexity of a table scene — figures, food, tableware — with the spectacular Bay of Naples backdrop. The strong Mediterranean light creates high values and strong shadows, with sunlight on the sea glittering beyond the terrace.