Lot number 2444 - Auction 160
VESUV BEI SORRENT, 1898

CARLOS CONRAD GRETHE 1864 Montevideo, Uruguay - 1913 Nieuwpoort, Belgium VESUVIUS NEAR SORRENTO, 1898 Gouache on paper (or cardboard). 24.5 x 32.5 cm (Frame: 39 x 46 cm). Signed lower right. Framed. The works "Vesuvius near Sorrento" and "Capri IV. Faraglioni" occupy a unique position in the oeuvre of Carlos Grethe. In contrast to the lead-grey tones of the North Sea typical of his work, these pieces are dominated by a palette shaped by the light of the southern sun, featuring bright blue, ochre, and terracotta tones. These works were created during a health-related trip to Italy in the spring of 1898, following a serious injury the artist suffered in December 1897. In total, this series comprises 29 watercolors and drawings. Although these light-filled works are of masterful quality, Grethe ultimately found the southern sea "too peaceful." This makes the Italian cycle a rare exception in his overall body of work, which is usually dedicated to man's tireless struggle against the unleashed elements. Literature: Ingrun Stocke, Carlos Grethe - Der Maler des Meeres. Vom Realismus zum Impressionismus. Illustrated on page 486. Weimar, 2008. Stocke, Ingrun: Vom Realismus zum Impressionismus, Weimar 2009. Provenance: Private Collection, Dusseldorf.