The Convent of San Cosimato

The convent is perched on a hillside in the Roman Campagna overlooking the River Aniene about thirty miles from Rome. Wright made several versions of the subject, which he conceived as a pair to a view of Dovedale in Derbyshire. Italian landscapes were among Wright’s favourite themes in his last years, over a decade after his visit to Italy. He is said to have given this picture as a gift to his Liverpool friend and pupil, William Tate.