Exhibited: The National Gallery of Denmark, “Christen Købke 1810–1848”, 1996, not in the catalogue.

The island of Capri had been “discovered” by artists and travellers in the early 1820s, i.a. in connection with the excavations in Pompeii and Herculaneum. A great interest in and fascination with the area around Naples and Capri grew out of this as well. A location such as the fairy-tale-like “Blue Grotto” became a popular motif for painters, and a romantic notion of the free and happy life on the shores of the Golf of Naples was established.

The Danish heir to the throne Christian Frederik (1786–1848), later VIII, and Caroline Amalie (1796–1881) visited the island in 1820, where the royal couple invited the painter Johan Christian Dahl (1788–1857) for a longer working vacation. The artists Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770–1844) and Friedrich Thøming (1802–1873) were in the area in 1828. A great interest in the place arose in Denmark, and the paintings of the area by painter Fritz Petzholdt (1805–1838) made an impression on Købke, who decided to go to Capri with Constantin Hansen (1804–1880). They spent three months on the island in the autumn of 1839.

During his stay on Capri, Købke carried out a large group of both drawn and painted studies of the island's coastline, which were intended to be transferred to larger canvases. The studies became inspiration for works like Købke's admission piece for the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, “Parti af Capris Sydside (Marina piccola). Klart Dagslys. Stærk Søgang” (View of Capri’s Southern Side (Marina piccola). Clear daylight. Rough Sea), which was sold at Bruun Rasmussen auction 727, 2003, as Lot No. 1242, ill. pp. 46–49, for DKK 3.900.000.

The present drawing shows the natural harbour Marina Piccola and the mountain Monte Castiglione containing the rock cave Grotta del Castiglione. At the top, you can see the ruins of a medieval castle. On the far right, the mountain Punta Tragara and part of the cliffs I Faraglioni can also be seen. The drawing is similar to other studies done of Marina Piccola. At The National Gallery of Denmark there are, among other works, the study drawings “Parti nær Marina Piccola på Capri” (View of the Coast near Marina Piccola on Capri) (Inv. No. KKSgb2939) and “Parti af Marina Piccola på Capri” (View of Marina Piccola on Capri) (Inv. No. KKSgb2940), which are related to the present drawing.