Cypresses at L’Ariccia

This oil on canvas depicts in its central focus, a group of trees. To the right of them a sculpture on a large stone plinth in the grounds of an Italianate villa - the walls and bell tower are seen far right.

Charles Lock Eastlake studied under the artist Benjamin Haydon (1786-1846), who specialised in grand historical paintings, portraiture and contemporary subjects. He was Haydon’s first pupil. Eastlake cemented his reputation as an artist with his work ‘Napoleon on board the Bellerophon’, having sketched Napoleon in Plymouth on route to his exile on the island of St Helena.

He lived in Rome from 1816-1830, painting the local countryside and members of British high society. His work was very popular in Britain and he regularly sent works back to be exhibited. In 1827 Eastlake was elected as a member of the Royal Academy.