The Small Cone, from the S.E. Summit of the Great Cone

This depiction of Mount Vesuvius represents Romantic culture’s new, more scientific approach to volcanoes, which began to be seen as an attraction for volcanologists and tourists alike. As demonstrated by the human figure—who appears to be performing a hands-on investigation of sputtering lava—the image shows that one can successfully study volcanoes in action. Before this image, Romantic culture was primarily concerned with the volcanoe as an emblem of death and destruction. However, as this engraving suggests, a curiosity grounded in science and notions of the picturesque began to emerge regarding volcanoes and their eruptions.

John Auldjo, the artist himself, stands on the far right of the image, poking the lava with a cane and holding a cloth over his mouth. In the background, the eruption of Vesuvius’ small cone, Monte Somma, blasts small bits of lava into the air; these fragments land near Auldjo. Palo, the highest point of Mount Vesuvius, is not shown in the image. An extensive jumble of what appear to be lava flows, hardened sediment, and rocks take up the foreground of the image.

Because Auldjo does not appear fearful of his surroundings and because the volcanoe does not loom menacingly overhead (it is instead ensconced at a slight distance and, consequently, miniaturized), Mount Vesuvius does not here represent the sublime. Instead, the drawing serves to depict a scientific phenomenon that is beginning to be understood. By depicting both the artist himself and the object of his interest, Mount Vesuvius, this image demonstrates the increasing, active curiosity of Romantic culture in the empirical attributes of volcanoes.

This depiction of Mount Vesuvius represents Romantic culture’s new, more scientific approach to volcanoes, which began to be seen as an attraction for volcanologists and tourists alike. As demonstrated by the human figure—who appears to be performing a hands-on investigation of sputtering lava—the image shows that one can successfully study volcanoes in action. Before this image, Romantic culture was primarily concerned with the volcanoe as an emblem of death and destruction. However, as this engraving suggests, a curiosity grounded in science and notions of the picturesque began to emerge regarding volcanoes and their eruptions.

John Auldjo’s intended that his sketch both educate and inspire his audience; in the accompanying text, Auldjo says that he wants to “excite travelers” (A3). Auldjo hoped his audience would be so captivated by his detailed portrayal of the rocky volcanoe and its rivers of lava that they would venture to see Mount Vesuvius themselves. In this sense, the image functions as an advertisement. Auldjo’s use of a detailed and, as he describes it, panoramic view of Monte Somma allows his viewers to experience more features of the eruption, thus further educating and exciting them.

"The Small Cone" in Sketches of Vesuvius was created in 1831 shortly after a minor eruption by Vesuvius’ small cone, Monte Somma, which is depicted in the sketch. This copy of the image and book was privately owned by Chester H. Thordarson before arriving in Special Collections at the University of Wisconsin—Madison.