Perhaps to enhance his reputation, Joseph Wright journeyed to Rome, where from 1773 to 1775 he studied antique sculpture and Renaissance painting. After his return to England he continued to paint candlelit subjects, for which he was most famous, as well as portraits, history paintings, and landscapes, including scenes from Italy.

Wright of Derby’s mature landscapes demonstrate his romantic vision of nature and his interest in the effects of light. In this Italian scene, the golden evening sun illuminates the trees and mountainside, while a deep shadow envelops the foreground at right.