Artist
Franz Innocenz Josef Kobell 1749 – 1822

About the work
In the late 18th century, the discovery of the mysterious underground, in particular Italia sotteranea, with its grottos and caves, unleashed a veritable fascination with the subterranean. The vault created by various rock formation is like a fantastic piece of architecture, of overwhelming size and mysterious grandeur. Some shrubs and hanging plants have settled in the huge cave, which is being explored by two travellers. The view from the cave may well recall the breadth of the Roman Campagna, although it is more likely the product of Kobell’s artistic imagination.