Garden of an Inn, Capri 1859

Frederic Leighton’s ‘Garden of an Inn, Capri’ is a mid-19th-century oil painting depicting a luscious scene of greenery and architecture. It's an image that transports the viewer to the celebrated Italian island. Leighton’s choice of Capri as a subject is interesting in itself. In the 19th century, the island was becoming a fashionable destination for artists, writers, and intellectuals looking for an escape from the industrializing cities of northern Europe. His approach to the scene creates a sense of idyllic beauty and leisure. We might also ask, what kind of traveller frequents an inn? What are the politics of leisure and travel in this period? To explore the painting’s social and historical context further, we can turn to travel writing, guidebooks, and other documents that reveal how Capri was perceived and promoted during this time. In doing so, we can better understand the complex relationship between art, tourism, and cultural identity in the 19th century.