Exhibition "Naples in the time of Napoleon. Rebell and the Light of the Gulf"

The Gallerie d'Italia - Naples is hosting the exhibition "Naples in the time of Napoleon. Rebell and the Light of the Gulf", dedicated to the Viennese painter Joseph Rebell and the lively cultural atmosphere in the city from 1808 to 1815, during the reign of Joachim Murat and Caroline Bonaparte, who viewed the arts as an effective means of promoting the civil growth of Neapolitan society.

This is the first exhibition dedicated to Joseph Rebell (Vienna 1787 - Dresden 1828), whose painting is characterised by a new approach to depicting the landscape, marking a turning point in art history between Neoclassicism and Romanticism, based on exaltation of atmospheric and sentimental values.

Among the 73 works on display are the splendid portraits of a young Joachim and Caroline Murat, the portrait of Napoleon in his imperial coronation robes, numerous views of the Bay of Naples and its magnificent surroundings, Vesuvius, depictions of the Amalfi Coast and the Islands, as well as drawings and preparatory studies.

In the exhibition, Rebell's works are also compared with the landscape artists of his day: Michael Wutky, who was his teacher, Pierre-Jacques Volaire, Simon Denis, Alexander Dunouy, Louis de Forbin and Johan Christian Dahl.

The works come from major national and international cultural institutions, such as the Belvedere in Vienna, the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, the Austrian National Library, the Château de Fontainebleau and Versailles, as well as from the Intesa Sanpaolo collection.

The exhibition is curated by Sabine Grabner, Luisa Martorelli, Fernando Mazzocca and Gennaro Toscano.

The Naples museum, whose activities contribute to the city's cultural prestige and social growth, is part of Intesa Sanpaolo's Gallerie d'Italia museum project, together with the museums in Milan, Turin and Vicenza.

Open to the public from 23 November 2023 to 7 April 2024.
For information on timetables and admission please visit the Gallerie d'Italia website.