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Eruption of the Volcano Vesuvius

Johan Christian Dahl1821

SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst

SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst
Copenhagen, Danmark

The Norwegian painter J.C. Dahl spent time in Italy in 1820-21, and while in Naples he witnessed the Vesuvius erupting, creating a range of drawings and painted studies of the event from the closest possible range. One of these studies served as the basis for this painting. He repeated the motif six times, a sure indication of its appeal for contemporary audiences. The volcanic eruption as motif The artist described the event as an ”interesting and horribly wondrous sight”, a choice of words that made it clear the volcanic eruption, with all its majesty and horror, should be seen as an example of the kind of awe-inspiring, sublime phenomena that had thrown philosophers, artists, and art lovers into a bittersweet state of dread and titillating awe ever since the early Romantic period. The relationship between man and nature The picture comprises two parts. In the left-hand side Dahl focuses on the relationship between man and the overwhelming spectacle: Two tiny figures serve to indicate the scale of the scene, watching the vast forces of nature with enraptured attention. Looking to the right, however, one begins to suspect that the figures might be thrill-seeking tourists who rode up the volcano on the waiting donkeys. Indeed, the deep landscape includes elements from a Naples tourist prospect from the time: the bay, the city, and its landmark volcano which was often shown towering in the background, but takes up the foreground here.

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  • Title: Eruption of the Volcano Vesuvius
  • Creator: J.C. Dahl
  • Creator Lifespan: 1788 Bergen - 1857 Dresden
  • Creator Nationality: Norwegian
  • Creator Gender: Male
  • Creator Death Place: Dresden
  • Creator Birth Place: Bergen
  • Date Created: 1821
  • Værktekst: Den norske maler J.C. Dahl var i Italien i 1820-21, og under sit ophold i Napoli blev han vidne til et af Vesuvs udbrud, som han på tættest mulige hold udførte en stribe tegninger og malede skitser af. Én af disse dannede forlæg for dette maleri, som i øvrigt blev gentaget seks gange, hvad der tyder på motivets appel til samtidens publikum. Vulkanudbruddet som fænomen Kunstneren beskrev naturbegivenheden som det ”interessante og rædsomt skiønne Syn”, og med sit ordvalg gjorde han det klart, at vulkanudbruddet i sin majestæt og gru skulle forstås som et eksempel på den slags ærefrygtindgydende fænomener, som siden den tidlige romantik havde hensat såvel filosoffer som kunstnere og deres publikum i en bittersød blanding af skræk og pirrende ærbødighed. Forholdet mellem natur og mennesker Billedet falder i to dele. Til venstre koncentrerer Dahl sig om forholdet mellem mennesket og det overvældende naturskue: To små figurer anskueliggør størrelsesforholdene og betragter opslugt naturens vældige kraft. Men lader man blikket vandre mod højre, får man mistanke om, at der er tale om forlystelseshungrende naturturister, som er redet op ad vulkanen på de ventende æsler. Napoli som turistattraktion Det dybe landskabsrum indeholder da også elementerne fra et datidigt turist-prospekt fra Napoli: bugten, byen og dens vartegn, vulkanen, som her optager forgrunden, hvor den ellers ofte sås knejsende i baggrunden.
  • Teknik: Olie på lærred
  • Proveniens: Testamentarisk gave fra arkæologen P.O. Brøndsted 1870
  • Dansk link: http://www.smk.dk/index.php?id=2688
  • Dansk Titel: Vesuvs udbrud 1820
  • Physical Dimensions: w137.5 x h98.3 cm (Without frame)
  • Featured Place: Vesuvio
  • Provenance: Acquired 1870
  • Type: Painting
  • Rights: Statens Museum for Kunst, http://www.smk.dk/en/copyright/creative-commons/
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst

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