View of the Bay of Salerno from Behind

While many of his German contemporaries had by this date turned to contemporary landscape subjects, biblical stories or quasi-historical Teutonic myths, Riedel here maintains the traditions of the classical landscape. Indeed, in following the tradition established by Joseph Anton Koch in his earlier views done in Italy, he is closer to the seventeenth century ideal.

The idealized setting in this painting would appear the area south of Naples, the distant view being the bay of Salerno, looking west from behind the city.