Gezicht op een rots bij de Golf van Tarente in de buurt van Gallipoli 1778

Louis Ducros rendered this view of rocks near Gallipoli with watercolor and graphite, likely *en plein air*, as the French say – in the open air. The quicksilver nature of watercolor perfectly suits the transient effects of light playing on the landscape. But there’s more to this image than meets the eye. Ducros was part of a wave of artists catering to the burgeoning tourist trade of the late 18th century. These artists weren't just capturing pretty scenes. They were participating in a market, producing images that fuelled a demand for the picturesque, the sublime, and the exotic. Consider the labor involved: from grinding pigments to preparing paper, each step relied on a network of skilled craftspeople. Even the act of viewing this image was shaped by consumerism, and by the social hierarchies that determined who could afford such luxuries. So, next time you look at a landscape, remember that it's not just about the view. It's also about the world that made it possible.