Description :

1876 Gustav Closs Blue Grotto Capri Hand-Colored Engraving Signed

This 1876 hand-colored engraving by German artist Gustav P. Closs captures the dramatic entrance to Capri's famous Blue Grotto (Grotte d'Azur). The composition shows period-dressed tourists and local boatmen navigating the narrow cave entrance in a small boat, with turbulent waters and imposing rock formations creating a sense of adventure and natural wonder. Closs employed fine cross-hatching and engraving techniques typical of German printmaking excellence, enhanced with carefully applied hand-coloring in rich blues, earth tones, and period costume details. The piece bears the artist's signature and date in the lower left corner and includes the French title "Entrée de la Grotte d'Azur" below the image. The work reflects the 19th-century European fascination with Italian tourism and the Romantic movement's emphasis on dramatic natural settings. Gallery labels from Atlantide Fine Art Gallery in Capri and Something Special in Berkeley, California provide documented provenance. The print shows age-appropriate condition with light foxing and minor edge discoloration consistent with its 148-year history.

1876, created during the height of the Grand Tour era when European artists documented famous Italian tourist destinations for armchair travelers and art collectors