Grotto of Pausilipo
Date
1776
Creator
Pietro Fabris (1738, Italian) , Painter
Object type
Library reference
42888
Material
Technique
Dimensions
height (plate): 210mm
width (plate): 385mm
height (page): 320mm
width (page): 452mm
width (plate): 385mm
height (page): 320mm
width (page): 452mm
Subject
Description
View of the entrance of the Grotto of Pausilipo, a road cut through a type of volcanic stone called tuff. The road is described as '2400 feet long, 22 feet broad and of an unequal height'. A man on a cattle drawn cart has just emerged from the Grotto entrance, and a man on horseback appears on his way in.
Plate 16 from Campi Phlegraei: observations on the volcanos of the two Sicilies by William Hamilton. The plate is inscribed ‘XVI’ in the top left corner.
Written in the associated description: 'The chief purpose of this Drawing, is to give an exact idea of the appearance of the section of a part of a mountain, composed of that sort of Colcanick Substance called Tufa, and of which most of the high grounds about Naples, Puzzoli and and Baja are composed'.
William Hamilton (1730-1803) British diplomat, archaeologist and volcanologist was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1766 on the merit of his volcanic observations. He received the Copley Medal in 1770 for his 'Account of a Journey to Mount Etna'.
Pietro Fabris (1740-1792) was a British artist who accompanied Hamilton around Mount Etna, Mount Vesuvius, and Lipari islands to document volcanic activities.
Plate 16 from Campi Phlegraei: observations on the volcanos of the two Sicilies by William Hamilton. The plate is inscribed ‘XVI’ in the top left corner.
Written in the associated description: 'The chief purpose of this Drawing, is to give an exact idea of the appearance of the section of a part of a mountain, composed of that sort of Colcanick Substance called Tufa, and of which most of the high grounds about Naples, Puzzoli and and Baja are composed'.
William Hamilton (1730-1803) British diplomat, archaeologist and volcanologist was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1766 on the merit of his volcanic observations. He received the Copley Medal in 1770 for his 'Account of a Journey to Mount Etna'.
Pietro Fabris (1740-1792) was a British artist who accompanied Hamilton around Mount Etna, Mount Vesuvius, and Lipari islands to document volcanic activities.
Object history
This book of hand-coloured plates represents part II of Campi Phlegraei. It complements part I, which consists of letters only. Both were presented to the then President of the Royal Society, Sir John Pringle (1707-1782).
Associated place