Orange Tree, Capri 

Konstantin Gorbatov made this landscape painting of Capri in oil, probably in the first half of the twentieth century. Capri was a popular destination for artists and writers, part of a broader trend of European elites seeking refuge in the Mediterranean for its beauty, climate, and classical history. Gorbatov's painting presents a particular image of Capri, one which emphasizes the natural landscape and vernacular architecture. The bright light and vibrant colors evoke a sense of idyllic escape, even as the visible laundry suggests the presence of everyday life. But it is also an image of class privilege and cultural capital, in which the artist and his viewers have the luxury to travel and contemplate the picturesque. Paintings like this can be understood through travel accounts, art criticism, and the biographies of artists and patrons. The history of art reminds us that even seemingly straightforward landscape paintings are shaped by social and institutional forces.