Vue generale des Ecueils des Ciclopes, appeles Farailloni au port de la Trizzia..

Rare aquatint by Jean Pierre Houel of the Faraglioni, the small islands just off the coast of Porto di Ace Trezza situated 10km from Catania, Sicily. According to the legend, these are the rocks that the cyclop Polyphemus threw at Ulysses as narrated by Homer in the Odyssey. The locals often refer to these islands as Isole dei Ciclopi (Islands of the Cyclops). 

The series was made after Houel’s second trip to Italy. He had spent three years in Sicily and made numerous drawings of archaeological sites, views and natural phenomena. The most important series of views of these islands recording many sites that no longer exist. All of the aquatints were produced by Houel.

 From Houel’s, Voyage Pittoresque des Isles de Sicilie, de Malte, et de Lipari.