Departure of Charles of Bourbon for Spain, seen from the Sea
1759. Oil on canvas.Room 089
This painting depicts the moment when the Spanish fleet commanded by the Marquis of La Victoria leaves the port of Naples after having taken aboard the new monarch, Charles III, and his family. Accompanied by a considerable retinue, they were bound for Barcelona to begin their Spanish reign. The work bears the following inscription: His Catholic Majesty Embarking on the 6th day of October 1759 in Naples. A. Joli.
Charles III took the throne after his half-brother, Ferdinand VI (r. 1746-1749) died without offspring in 1759. Ferdinand, who had ruled since 1746, was the son of Philip V by his first wife, Maria Luisa of Savoy, His death led Charles VII of Naples to abandon his kingdom and take over the Spanish Empire, leaving his son, Ferdinand of Bourbon, to rule Naples as Ferdinand IV.
The present painting is a magnificent example of Neapolitan seascapes, with a rich topographical, narrative and anecdotal content that distinguishes it from the Venetian preference for snapshot images of a more poetic and fantastic nature. Joli manages to create a true sense of historical narrative without renouncing a certain degree of lyricism. The spectacular bay with the city’s buildings in the background and the hill crowned by the Capodimonte palace unfold beneath a cloudy blue sky with a striking wealth of detail. With flags flying, the fleet sails westward, towards the left of the canvas, on their way into the marine horizon.
This painting is the companion to another (Museo del Prado, P232) in which Joli shows the dock in Naples as King Charles III is leaving and his former subjects contemplate the scene amidst the hubbub. Both works are from the Museo de la Trinidad.
There are three other autograph versions of this composition, as well as various copies and interpretations. Curiously, the flags are missing from two of these replicas, symbolizing the city’s disheartenment at the king’s departure. This contrasts with the flamboyant festivity of the pennants in Joli’s painting.
El Prado en el Hermitage, Museo Estatal del Hermitage: Museo del Prado, 2011, p.166-167
