Catania and Mount EtnaEdward Lear · 1847

Identification of Catania and Mount Etna

This mid 19th century oil sketch, titled Catania and Mount Etna, was executed by the British artist and poet Edward Lear. It captures a specific moment in the Sicilian countryside near the city of Catania, focusing on the presence of Mount Etna. The work provides a view of the landscape as it appeared during the artist's travels through Italy.

The sketch was created in June 1847. Specifically, Lear made this drawing on 16 June 1847. His companion at the time, John Proby, accompanied him during these excursions. The two men traveled to the mountain and ascended the volcanic cone the evening after the sketch was made.

Composition and Visual Elements

The landscape of Eastern Sicily is organized through a deliberate, three-tiered structure. In the immediate foreground, the viewer encounters a dark, textured expanse of volcanic rock. This rugged terrain establishes a heavy, tactile base for the entire scene. Moving into the middle ground, the composition opens up to reveal the city of Catania, positioned as a quiet intermediary between the dark earth and the sky.

Dominating the background, the snow-capped peak of Mount Etna rises against the horizon. While the landscape is primarily defined by horizontal planes that emphasize the breadth of the Sicilian countryside, the volcano introduces a necessary counterpoint. Its triangular silhouette provides a strong vertical focal point, anchoring the composition and drawing the eye upward from the low-lying cityscape toward the mountain's summit.

Technique and Physical Materials

This work is an oil sketch, executed with a directness that suggests the artist was working closely to the landscape. The medium is oil on board, a choice that lends a certain structural weight to the composition. There is a notable tactile quality to the application, particularly where the brushwork captures the ruggedness of the volcanic terrain. The physical presence of the piece is intimate, measuring 31.1 x 48.3cm.

Interestingly, some descriptions of the piece identify it as china and gouache on paper, with dimensions noted at 31.8 x 47.6 cm. This variation in documentation highlights the delicate, layered approach used to build up the atmospheric effects of the Sicilian sky and the distant, snow-capped peak. The interplay between these materials allows for a subtle transition from the heavy, textured foreground to the softer, more diffused light of the horizon.

History and Provenance of the Work

The origins of this work are tied to a specific period of travel through Sicily. In the summer of 1847, Edward Lear spent time exploring the island, accompanied by John Joshua Proby. Their travels together spanned the months between May and July of that year. It was during this excursion, specifically in June 1847, that Lear visited the countryside surrounding Mount Etna to capture the landscape near Catania.

The sketch remains a significant part of the artist's record of the Sicilian scenery. It is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. This placement ensures the work is preserved within a major institutional setting, maintaining its connection to the mid-19th-century observations made during those Sicilian excursions.