finally time to continue the theme of disasters and how they depicted in art. There were already so different kinds of apocalypse, destroyed the Golden Gate Bridge or illustrations of earthquake ( link ). Today, it fell on the eruption of volcanoes, so probably can imagine many a good artist was attracted to the edge of Mount Vesuvius, to look at the bubbling lava inside. This time the wallpaper was so interesting geological problem, how could it comes to explosions. And as far as art can be useful in explaining this phenomenon.
If you replace the Norwegian painters, without which it is impossible to write a book on the history of art, it is probably only one name would be placed on the list - or Edvard Munch. There would, however, the Norwegian art, if not the specificity of romanticism in this country, which was characterized by incredible horror and lyricism which make it work. Such a vision of the world has imposed Johan Christian Dahl, who inspired and landscapes Ruisdaela Friedrich, immortalized not only the landscapes of Germany (where he stayed for a long time in Dresden, and from 1821 until his death in 1857 on a permanent basis in the same Saxon town), but also other lands. Among other things, in 1820 he went to Rome and Naples, and the aftermath of this trip was shown next to the painting "The eruption of Mount Vesuvius."
This picture clearly shows that, it might seem at the time of rapid learning about new areas of science, not There's nothing more important than reality shows. Of course you can add a little "Licencia Artistica" monumentalizować nature and appear as a small speck against the human figure. It is difficult to assume, however, that Dahl presented the eruption of a reliable, since the work was based on his notes and drawings until 1826, the Dresden studio, and not even near Naples. However, he was lucky enough to have actually seen a volcanic eruption in December 1820, and reportedly was even one of the first to come to the mountainside to look carefully at the outlet lava. But Dahl's Mural in no way differs from previous work that in the eighteenth century made the sort of tourist attraction of Mount Vesuvius, and the images of explosions were selling as well as painted views of the port of Naples, which was famous for this city.
faithful readers probably remember that in the summer of last year appeared on a blog ranking 10 most beautiful walking sticks (in my humble opinion) in the history of art. She won the Emma Hamilton described as a "Bacchante," a post on the occasion became the basis for describing the horrible fate of the railways, if, because of his uncommon beauty was regarded by many men like the subject (and not just follow.) In any event, then entry ( link) also for her husband William, who was a great collector and English diplomat in Italy. What does this have to do with the above illustration created in the last quarter of the eighteenth century, showing the tourists are not in danger zważających viewers up close and lava? The author is the following paintings of Gavin Hamilton, a cousin of William, and both aristocrats because collector, a passion pursued archaeological a lot of work related to progressive discoveries in the area buried by lapille Pompeii and Herculaneum. Both
using their political power gathered a great amount of collections, which eventually landed in the UK. William maintained a close relationship with the queen of Naples, Maria Carolina of Habsburg, and Gavin possibly different means (such as contacts with the pope and the redemption of the finds from the local peasants) came into the possession of third time znajdowanych antiques. But it's not interesting, but how active volcano has steadily become one of the major attractions of the Grand tour. As is well known this kind of trip to Italy, which led young men had acquired manners and culture education over time has become entertainment for the rich men, not from the richly stroniących zakrapianych events and the presence of women of low morals. After spending the next week in Venice, Florence, Siena and Pisa zbiedniały already hit an aristocrat to Rome, where he could meet in an even greater number of like-minded utracjuszy. It was here comes the winter because, using this time to explore the enormous number of monuments. Issued by then Grand Tour guides to propose the next stage of the journey, namely to Naples (to finally "see Naples and die"), usually over land, and from there only to Sicily to Messina, or by sea. After the outbreak of Vesuvius in 1631 and the discovery of the ruins of Herculaneum, Pompeii and Paestum, and the dissemination of the ruins of Greek temples in Sicily, Naples somewhat lost its importance, but still served an important role as a starting point. And to explore the old town is included just this looming menacingly over the city volcano.
Shown positioned above the work of Gavin Hamilton's form of tourism has already predict a more massive tour Italy. It is hardly surprising Byron, who in 1817 wrote: "Rome is driven by the English plague. You have to be crazy to go to France and Italy before this unfortunate flock back to their homes. " Well, he is a poet who, in the same year, fall in love with a 22-year old married woman, then drove her home, and this despair threw herself into the Venetian canal ...
But back to bursting with tourists and various hostile substances volcano. To maximize the experience (as do the characters on the image shown next to Michael Wutky, a friend of William Hamilton, who participated with him in these excursions) was developed following the method of "exploring". Przychodzono the crater before sunset and looking out over the bay, as the sun hides in the depths of the sea. That's when it was the biggest chance that something escaped from Vesuvius - and that some gases, and pyroclastic materials is whether (as with the greatest tension waiting) lava. And all the tourist phenomenon has umasowieniu only in the nineteenth century, when the late 30th Naples railway was built connecting with one of podwezuwiańskich village.
William Hamilton said, however, appeared in this post not only because of his family relations and friendship with Gavin Michael Wutky, but due to its crucial role in the transmission of public information about the volcano. It is widely recognized as the "best dancer at the court of Naples (and when did Emma arrived quite unparalleled in the pair) within four years of residence in Naples, climbed Mount Vesuvius 22 times, of which reportedly once in a really extreme situation. Thus, in 1776 and 1777, looked smaller eruptions of the volcano, but did not stop at the Vesuvius, but also closely watched the crater of Mount Etna. This allowed him to publish in 1772, has repeatedly renewed the work, "Observations on Mount Vesuvius," and thanks to these trips and passionate gatherer could donate the British Museum head of Heracles, which is found in the solidified magma at the foot of the hill.
Portrayed next eruption of 1822, was created by George Julius Poulette Scrope'a, one of the pioneers of modern Volcanology. It's obvious why, as this is very different figure from the earlier work. Not only in terms of art (the author because he was a geologist, not an artist) but also that this phenomenon has not been shown in a picturesque, but much more sinister. It is true that there are still things in the picture, which means there should be, as these lightning bolts in the middle column of smoke and fired with great force pyroclastic materials (not to mention how the spatial correlation is presented between Naples and Vesuvius), it is contrary to appearances, this illustration is closer to the real erupcjom this volcano. Scrope in fact under the influence of Italian volcanoes, has decided to completely revise the existing concept of how they work volcanoes and why they behave in such and not otherwise (even before W. Hamilton hired a monk who had documented day after day, extracting a substance from the top).
As you can see, the same way as in the case of earthquakes artists very useful to researchers and created a spectacular vision rather than a true picture of the eruption of Vesuvius. But quite different writers have described it. Let the example will be the words of Hans Christian Andersen, who this time did not create a credible stories describing experiences during their stay in Naples in 1834: "A pair of sulfur was so strong and the fire burned the soles of the feet, that after about two minutes we had to turn back, we saw fire all around us zębiska, wheezing hasał escape from the crater, as when a group of birds suddenly rises to a flight from the trees. It was impossible to climb up the cone, as the glittering stones constantly fell down. " Nevertheless, undeniably what the artists were highlighted horror and the danger of Mount Vesuvius, and shown by Dahl and Wutky'ego and risks described by Andersen easily show how hostile it was the end of tour Italian peculiarities.
0 comments:
Post a Comment