Boccadasse, Genoa, with Monte Fasce in the background

This vivid and elegant sketch of a lake scene with mountains in the background is one of several made by Bonington in the course of his tour of Italy in 1826. With all the freshness, alertness and brilliance of a youthful work, Bonington firmly anticipates the discoveries of the Impressionists. The paint has been applied to a light ground; all presented as pure colour. Much of the water is left with only the slightest glaze, thus reflecting the light from the sky. The strong accents stay proud of the surface, establishing the structure of the houses, the campanile, the pier and customs post, and the foreground shoreline with its several wooden piles.