Vesuvius erupting fallen tree November ye 17th 1679

November ye 17th 1679

William Wilberforce standing on the pedestal of the Achilles statue in Hyde Park and holding his top hat over the fig leaf

Borough High Street

A chair mender

pointing towards the stout railway director

Vesuvius erupting fallen tree November ye 17th 1679Observation of volcanic activity at Vesuvius, made by the artist on behalf of Sir William Hamilton. The drawing shows material ejected directly upward from the volcano with a scale of height based upon the mountain's size. A cloud of gas and ash is shown drifting to the viewer's right. From volume 1 of Piaggio's notebooks for the period 1779 1781. Original: pencil and ink on paper. 1779