Destruction of Pompeii

Ivan Aivazovsky's 'Destruction of Pompeii' (1889) is a late work by the Russian Armenian master of marine painting, extending his investigation of spectacular natural catastrophe — usually sea storms — to the volcanic disaster that destroyed the Roman city in 79 AD. Aivazovsky was drawn to subjects of overwhelming natural power, and the Pompeii disaster offered the combination of fire, volcanic ash, and fleeing crowds that allowed him to deploy his mastery of light and atmosphere in an apocalyptic historical subject. His versions of historical catastrophes were enormously popular in Russia and internationally.

Aivazovsky renders the Pompeii disaster with his characteristic mastery of dramatic atmospheric effects — the volcanic eruption's fire and ash cloud providing the light source that replaces the sea's reflected light in his typical marine subjects. His handling of the volcanic glow illuminating the fleeing figures and the collapsing city demonstrates his ability to adapt his atmospheric technique to different light sources while maintaining the drama that defined his reputation.