A Wall in Naples
- Artist: Thomas Jones
- Date: about 1782
- Medium: oil on paper, mounted on canvas
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is "A Wall in Naples" by Thomas Jones. Painted in about 1782, it's a small oil sketch on paper, mounted on canvas. At just over postcard size, it's one of the smallest works Jones created during his time in Italy.
Jones painted these tiny oils on paper from 1782, and they're considered some of the most original work of his career. They show buildings from high viewpoints, giving us a unique perspective on the city. "A Wall in Naples" is one of five studies like this that Jones made, and it's one of the best known.
The painting shows a wall with shuttered windows and an irregular pattern of scaffolding holes. There's even a water stain from chamber pots thrown out of the window - details that would have been noticed by someone living in Naples at the time. The rectangle of sky above is intensely blue, suggesting it was a very hot summer day.
Jones likely painted this while standing on his roof terrace, which gave him a great view of the city. He was known to take detailed notes and sketches of what he saw, but these small oil paintings are some of the most finished works from that period. They offer a glimpse into life in 18th-century Naples, seen through the eyes of this English artist who was drawn to the unique character of the city's buildings.
See it in person
A Wall in Naples hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
