Vesuvius Journal — Alessandro D’Anna 1779 Aquatint Weber Chapuy Grand Tour Naples

On the night of 8 August 1779, Alessandro d’Anna witnessed Vesuvius illuminate the Bay of Naples in one of the most spectacular eruptions of the 18th century — a towering column of ash and incandescent material, volcanic lightning (the fuoco di Sant’Elmo) cutting through the ash cloud as luminous yellow streaks, the bay glowing with reflected light — and transformed the spectacle into two aquatints of enduring beauty: the front cover engraved by Friedrich Weber shows the eruption at its height with precise geographical observation and Romantic sublimity; the back, engraved by Jean-Baptiste Chapuy, shows figures in the foreground observing with awe, embodying Edmund Burke’s concept of terror transformed into aesthetic wonder.

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Product Details

• Format: Hardcover journal with matte laminated full-wrap cover
• Pages: 150 lined pages (75 sheets) with perforations for easy removal
• Binding: Casewrap sewn binding — flexible and lay-flat
• Dimensions: 5.75 × 8 inches
• Weight: 250 g (0.55 lbs)
• Cover: Matte laminated full-wrap print
• Note: small production barcode (0.5" × 0.5") on back cover

Perfect For

• Volcanology enthusiasts and geology students drawn to the science of volcanic eruptions
• Grand Tour history lovers and Italian culture aficionados celebrating the Neapolitan tradition
• Collectors of 18th-century scientific illustration and Neapolitan aquatint art
• Travelers journaling their Italian adventures and Vesuvius visits
• Philosophy and aesthetics readers interested in Edmund Burke’s concept of the sublime
• Educators and researchers in natural history and Enlightenment studies