Geitenhoeders bij de Golf van Napels met zicht op de Vesuvius 1824 - 1826

Alexis-Victor Joly created this print of goatherds by the Gulf of Naples with a view of Mount Vesuvius. This serene image invites us to consider how landscapes are not simply natural scenes, but are also social and cultural spaces. How does leisure function against the backdrop of labour and precarity? Look closely and you see figures, presumably local goatherds, resting under the shade of a palm tree with their flock, while Vesuvius looms in the distance. It is interesting to consider that in the 18th and 19th century, the volcano and its surrounding areas became popular destinations for those undertaking the Grand Tour. These travelers often sought picturesque and sublime views, framing the area through a colonial lens. This imagery romanticized the Italian landscape, but often disregarded the lived experiences and socio-economic realities of the local population. Joly’s print then, invites us to reflect on whose stories are told, and whose are often left out of the picture.