Though today largely dormant, volcanoes continue to erupt across the world, reminding us of their sheer physical power. In Volcano, James Hamilton explores the cultural history generated by the violence and terrifying beauty of volcanoes. He describes the reverberations of early eruptions of Vesuvius and Etna in Greek and Roman myth. Volcanoes have long been subjects in art – the earliest known wall painting of an erupting volcano was painted in 6,200 BCE – and Hamilton shows that volcanoes continue to influence the artistic imagination, as seen, for example, in the distinctive colours of Andy Warhol and Michael Sandle’s exploding mountains.
Including works by famous artists, such as Salvator Rosa, Wright of Derby, Hokusai and Hiroshige, as well as previously little-known paintings, prints, drawings and photographs, this richly illustrated book will appeal to anyone interested in the science as well as the artistic impact of these spectacular natural phenomena.
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About James Hamilton
Reviews for Volcano
School Librarian journal
Examines the influence of volcanoes on art and culture throughout the world. With the help of 104 striking illustrations, the author describes artists' perceptions of volcanoes from early myths to the present, with particular emphasis on the eruptions of Vesuvius and Krakatoa. Examples of the impact of volcanoes on literature, poetry, and political cartoons are included. The humanities perspective provides a fresh look at a remarkable natural phenomenon. Recommended
Choice
Shales crafts a nuanced position . . . points towards how we should widen our perception of craft and where we look for it . . . [a] critical reading of a very vital cultural field.
Journal of Design History
An arresting collage of mythology, philosophy, literature and spectacular works of visual art inspired by nature's most exuberant phenomenon - Hamiltons unique and imaginative miscellany and cultural geography of volcanoes and volcanology is a veritable treasure trove.
Clive Oppenheimer, volcanologist and author of Eruptions That Shook the World
James Hamilton elegantly conjures up the imagery and impact of volcanic events around the world, through centuries and across continents, mastering this complex topic with an observant eye, an incisive mind and a fluent pen it's a book to read and then keep coming back to, again and again.
Gillian Darley, author of Vesuvius: The Most Famous Volcano in the World